To a Young Widow 1–6
Greek text: PG 48.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1PG 48:599
Ὅτι μὲν χαλεπὴν ἕλαδες τὴν πληγὴν, καὶ ἐν χαιρίῳ τὸ πεμφθὲν καὶ ἄνωθεν ἐδέξω τὸ βέλος, ἅπαντες ἄν σοι συνομολογήσαιεν, καὶ οὐδὲ τῶν σφόδρα φιλοσοφούντων οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ" ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς πληττομένους οὐχ εἰς πένθος καὶ δάχρυα τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἀναλίσχειν δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς θεραπείας τῶν τραυμάτων πολλὴν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν πρόνοιαν,ὥστε μὴ παροφθέντα " μείζονα τοῖς δάχρυσι παρασχεῖν τὴν πληγὴν, καὶ τῆς ὀδύνης σφοδροτέραν τὴν φλόγα ἐργάσασθαι, καλὸν καὶ τῆς διὰ τῶν λόγων ἀνασχέσθαι παραχλήσεως, καὶ τοὺς χρουνοὺς μιχρὸν ἀνασχοῦσαν τῶν δαχρύων χρόνον γοῦν βραχὺν καὶ τοῖς παραμυθεῖσθαί σε ἐπιχειροῦσι παρασχεῖν σεαυτήν. Διὰ γάρ ποι τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐ παρ᾽ αὐτὴν τοῦ πένθους τὴν ἀκμὴν, οὐδ᾽ ἅμα τῷ χατενεχθῆναι τὸν σκηπτὸν σαμεν" ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμείναντες τὸν ἐν μέσῳ τουτονὶ χρόνον, καὶ συγχωρήσαντες ἐμπλησθῆναί σε τῶν ὀδυρμῶν, ὅτε λοιπὸν καὶ διαδλέψαι μιχρὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀχλύος ἐχείνης, καὶ «ἃς ἀχοὰς παρανοῖξαι δεδύνησαι τοῖς σε παρακαλεῖν πειρωμένοις, τότε καὶ αὑτοὶ μετὰ τοὺς τῶν θεραπαινίδων λόγοὺς καὶ τὰ παρ᾽ ἑαυτῶν προστεθείχαμεν. Ἔτι μὲν γὰρ τοῦ χειμῶνος ὄντος σφοδροῦ, καὶ πολλοῦ τοῦ πένθους πνέοντος, ὁ παραχαλῶν ἀποσχέσθαι τῆς λύπης πλέον ἂν παρώξυνε πρὸς τὰς οἰμωγὰς, καὶ τὸ μισηθῆναι χερδάνας μόνον ὕλην ἂν πολλὴν τοῖς τοιούτοις λόγοις παρέσχε τῷ πυρὶ μετὰ τοῦ καὶ ἐχθροῦ καὶ ἀνοήτου δόξαν λαδεῖν" ἐπειδὴ δὲ λοιπὸν ἤρξατο λήγειν ἡ ζάλη, καὶ τὸ τῶν χυ» μάτων ἄγριον κατεστόρεσεν ὁ Θεὸς, εὐχόλως τοῦ λόγου τὰ ἰστία ἀναπετάσομεν. Ἐν συμμέτρῳ μὲν γὰρ χευμῶνε δυνήσεται ἴσως ἡ τέχνη ποιῆσαι τὸ ἑαυτῆς" ὅταν δὲ ἄμαχος ἧ τῶν πνευμάτων ἡ προσδολὴ, τῆς ἐμπειρίας ὄφελος οὐδέν. Διὰ ταῦτα πάντα τὸν ἕμπροσθεν χρόνον σιγήσαντες, μόλις καὶ νῦν ἐπεχειρήσαμεν ῥῆξαι φωνὴν, ἐπειδὴ παρὰ τοῦ θείου ἡχούσαμεν τοῦ σοῦ, ὅτι λοιπὸν χρὴ θαῤῥεῖν᾽ καὶ γὰρ καὶ τῶν θεραπαινίδων τὰς ἐν τιμῇ χατατολμᾷν ὑπὲρ τούτων μαχροὺς ἀποτείνειν λόγους, τάς τε ἔξωθεν γυναῖχας, καὶ τὰς γένει προσηχούσας, καὶ τὰς ἄλλως πως ἐπιτηδείως ἐχούσας. Ὅτι δὲ τοὺς παρ᾽ ἐχείνων δεχομένη λόγους οὐχ ἀτιμάσεις τοὺς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡσυχίαν καὶ ἀταραξίαν παρέξεις αὐτοῖς χατὰ δύναμιν, σφόδρα θαῤῥοῦμεν καὶ πεπιστεύχαμεν. Καὶ ἄλλως μὲν οὖν τὸ γυναιχεῖον γένος ἐπιῤῥεπέστερόν πώς ἐστι πρὸς συμπάθειαν ὅταν δὲ καὶ νεότης προσῇ, καὶ χηρεία ἄωρος, καὶ πραγμάτων ἀπειρία, καὶ φροντίδων ὄχλος πολὺς, καὶ τὸ ἐν τρυφῇ καὶ εὐθυμίᾳ καὶ πλούτῳ ἄνωθεν τὸν ἔμπροσθεν ἅπαντα τετράφθαι χρόνον, πολλαπλάσιον γίνεται τὸ δεινὸν, χἂν ἡ τοῦτο παθοῦσα. μὴ τῆς ἄνωθεν τύχῃ ῥοπῆς, καὶ ὁ τυχὼν αὐτὴν λογισμὸς καταλῦσαι δυνήσεται ἁ, ὅπερ πρῶτον καὶ μέγιστον τῆς πολλῆς περὶ αὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ κηδεμονίας τίθεμαι εἶναι τεχμήριον. Τὸ γὰρ τοσούτων συνδραμόντων ἐξαίφνης χαχῶν μὴ ἀποπνιγῆ“ ναι τῇ λύπῃ, μηδὲ τῶν χατὰ φύσιν ἐχστῆναι φρενῶν, οὐχ ἀνθρωπίνης τινὸς βοηθείας ἦν, ἀλλὰ τῆς τὰ πάντα δυναμένης χειρὸς, τῆς συνέσεως, ἧς οὐχ ἔστιν ἀριθμὸς, «ἧς φρονήσεως, ἧς οὐχ ἔστιν ἐξεύρεσις, τοῦ Πατρὸς τῶν οἰχτιρμῶν καὶ Θεοῦ πάσης παραχλήσεως. Αὐτὸς γὰρ πέπαικεν ἡμᾶς, φησὶ, καὶ ἰάσεται ἡμᾶς" πατάξει, καὶ μοτώσει ἡμᾶς καὶ ὑγιάσει ἡμᾶς. Ἕως μὲν γάρ σον συνῆν ὁ μαχάριος ἐχεῖνος ἀνὴρ, ἀπέλαυες 5 μὲν τιμῆς καὶ φροντίδος καὶ σπουδῆς, ἀπέλανες δὲ οἵας παρὰ ἀνθρώπου ἀπολαύειν εἰχὸς ἧν᾽ ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐχεῖνον ἔλαδε πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀντ᾽ ἐχεί» νου σοι γέγονεν αὐτός. Καὶ αὐχ ἐμὸς οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μαχαρίου προφήτου Δαυΐδ’ φησὶ γάρ’ Ὅρφραγὸν καὶ χήρακ ἀναλλήγεται. Καὶ ἀλλαγοῦ [ δὲ αὐτὸν πατέρα χαλεῖ τῶν ὀρφανῶν, καὶ χριτὴν τῶν χηρῶν᾽ οὕτω πολλὴν ὑπὲρ τούτου τοῦ γένους πολλαχοῦ ποιούμενον αὐτὸν ὄψει τὴν σπουδήν.
Hoti men chalepēn helades tēn plēgēn, kai en chairiǭ to pemphthen kai anōthen edexō to belos, hapantes an soi synomologēsaien, kai oude tōn sphodra philosophountōn oudeis anterei" epei de tous plēttomenous ouch eis penthos kai dachrya ton hapanta chronon analischein dei, alla kai tēs therapeias tōn traumatōn pollēn poieisthai tēn pronoian,hōste mē parophthenta " meizona tois dachrysi paraschein tēn plēgēn, kai tēs odynēs sphodroteran tēn phloga ergasasthai, kalon kai tēs dia tōn logōn anaschesthai parachlēseōs, kai tous chrounous michron anaschousan tōn dachryōn chronon goun brachyn kai tois paramytheisthai se epicheirousi paraschein seautēn. Dia gar poi touto kai hēmeis ou par᾽ autēn tou penthous tēn akmēn, oud᾽ hama tǭ chatenechthēnai ton skēpton samen" all᾽ anameinantes ton en mesǭ toutoni chronon, kai synchōrēsantes emplēsthēnai se tōn odyrmōn, hote loipon kai diadlepsai michron apo tēs achlyos echeinēs, kai «has achoas paranoixai dedynēsai tois se parakalein peirōmenois, tote kai hautoi meta tous tōn therapainidōn logous kai ta par᾽ heautōn prostetheichamen. Eti men gar tou cheimōnos ontos sphodrou, kai pollou tou penthous pneontos, ho parachalōn aposchesthai tēs lypēs pleon an parōxyne pros tas oimōgas, kai to misēthēnai cherdanas monon hylēn an pollēn tois toioutois logois paresche tǭ pyri meta tou kai echthrou kai anoētou doxan ladein" epeidē de loipon ērxato lēgein hē zalē, kai to tōn chy» matōn agrion katestoresen ho Theos, eucholōs tou logou ta istia anapetasomen. En symmetrǭ men gar cheumōne dynēsetai isōs hē technē poiēsai to heautēs" hotan de amachos hē tōn pneumatōn hē prosdolē, tēs empeirias ophelos ouden. Dia tauta panta ton hemprosthen chronon sigēsantes, molis kai nyn epecheirēsamen rhēxai phōnēn, epeidē para tou theiou hēchousamen tou sou, hoti loipon chrē tharrhein᾽ kai gar kai tōn therapainidōn tas en timę̄ chatatolmąn hyper toutōn machrous apoteinein logous, tas te exōthen gynaichas, kai tas genei prosēchousas, kai tas allōs pōs epitēdeiōs echousas. Hoti de tous par᾽ echeinōn dechomenē logous ouch atimaseis tous par᾽ hēmōn, alla kai hēsychian kai ataraxian parexeis autois chata dynamin, sphodra tharrhoumen kai pepisteuchamen. Kai allōs men oun to gynaicheion genos epirrhepesteron pōs esti pros sympatheian hotan de kai neotēs prosę̄, kai chēreia aōros, kai pragmatōn apeiria, kai phrontidōn ochlos polys, kai to en tryphę̄ kai euthymią kai ploutǭ anōthen ton emprosthen hapanta tetraphthai chronon, pollaplasion ginetai to deinon, chan hē touto pathousa. mē tēs anōthen tychę̄ rhopēs, kai ho tychōn autēn logismos katalysai dynēsetai ha, hoper prōton kai megiston tēs pollēs peri ae tou Theou kēdemonias tithemai einai techmērion. To gar tosoutōn syndramontōn exaiphnēs chachōn mē apopnigē“ nai tę̄ lypę̄, mēde tōn chata physin echstēnai phrenōn, ouch anthrōpinēs tinos boētheias ēn, alla tēs ta panta dynamenēs cheiros, tēs syneseōs, hēs ouch estin arithmos, «hēs phronēseōs, hēs ouch estin exeuresis, tou Patros tōn oichtirmōn kai Theou pasēs parachlēseōs. Autos gar pepaiken hēmas, phēsi, kai iasetai hēmas" pataxei, kai motōsei hēmas kai hygiasei hēmas. Heōs men gar son synēn ho macharios echeinos anēr, apelaues 5 men timēs kai phrontidos kai spoudēs, apelanes de hoias para anthrōpou apolauein eichos hēn᾽ epeidē de echeinon elade pros heauton ho Theos, ant᾽ echei» nou soi gegonen autos. Kai auch emos houtos ho logos, alla tou machariou prophētou Dauïd’ phēsi gar’ Horphragon kai chērak anallēgetai. Kai allagou [ de auton patera chalei tōn orphanōn, kai chritēn tōn chērōn᾽ houtō pollēn hyper toutou tou genous pollachou poioumenon auton opsei tēn spoudēn.
That you have received a severe blow, that the shaft was sent at a vital spot and you received the arrow from on high, everyone would agree with you, and not even one of those who practise philosophy most strictly will contradict it. But since those who are struck ought not to spend all their time in mourning and tears, but should also take much forethought for the treatment of their wounds, so that, if neglected, they may not make the wound worse through tears and make the flame of the pain more violent, it is good also to accept the comfort that comes through words, and, holding back the streams of tears a little, to give yourself at least for a short time to those who try to console you. It was for this reason, I suppose, that we too did not [write to you] at the very height of the grief, nor as soon as the thunderbolt fell; but we waited out this intervening time and allowed you to have your fill of lamenting, and when at last you were able to look out a little from that mist and to open your ears to those who try to comfort you, then we too added our own words after those of your maids. For while the storm was still violent and the grief blew strongly, one who urged you to give up sorrow would rather have provoked you to more wailing, and, gaining only hatred, would have furnished much fuel for the fire by such words, besides getting the reputation of an enemy and a fool; but since the tempest has now begun to subside and God has calmed the fury of the waves, we shall easily spread the sails of our speech. For in a moderate storm the pilot's art may perhaps be able to do its work; but when the assault of the winds is irresistible, experience is of no use. For these reasons we kept silent all the time before, and only now, and with difficulty, have attempted to break into speech, since we heard from your uncle that it is now possible to take courage; for indeed even the more honoured of your maids are venturing to address long speeches to you on these matters, as are the women from outside, both those related to you by birth and those otherwise close to you. That, receiving their words, you will not slight ours, but will give them quiet and calm attention as far as you can, we are very confident and believe. The female sex is in general somehow more inclined to give way to feeling; but when youth is added, and untimely widowhood, and inexperience of affairs, and a great crowd of cares, and the fact that all the time before was spent in luxury and cheerfulness and wealth, the misfortune becomes many times greater; and unless the woman who has suffered it obtains help from above, any chance thought may be able to overthrow her. This I count the first and greatest proof of God's great care for you. For that, when so many evils had suddenly converged, you were not choked by grief nor driven out of your natural senses, was the work not of any human help, but of the hand that can do all things, of the understanding that has no number, of the wisdom that has no searching out, of the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. “For he has struck us,” it says, “and he will heal us; he will smite, and bind us up, and make us whole.” For as long as that blessed man was with you, you enjoyed honour and care and attention, such as it was likely to enjoy from a human being; but since God has taken him to himself, he himself has become yours in his place. And this word is not mine, but the blessed prophet David's; for he says, “He will take up the orphan and the widow.” And elsewhere he calls him the father of orphans and the judge of widows. So in many places you will see him showing great concern for this class of people.
Ps 147:5 (146:5 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 40:28 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 1:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Hos 6:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 146:9 (145:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 68:5 (67:6 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom begins his consolation of a young widow by explaining why he waited until her first grief had passed, and by telling her that God has taken her husband's place as her protector.
- John Chrysostom, Letter to a Young Widow (Ad viduam iuniorem, PG 48:599–610), from the archive.org OCR of PG 48; the refs follow the staging divisions. The translation was made from the Greek and then compared with NPNF¹ 9. A verb lost in the OCR is supplied by sense (“[write to you]”). Leaked apparatus and Migne's column numbers are removed by logged corrections. Quotations: Hos 6:1; Ps 146:9 (145:9 LXX); allusions: Ps 147:5 (146:5 LXX); Isa 40:28; 2 Cor 1:3; Ps 68:5 (67:6 LXX).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne column number in the text; apparatus leaked into the text; note number in the text): ἀναπετάσομεν 5. Ἐν → ἀναπετάσομεν. Ἐν; ἀδαϑῖ ἰῃ (οἱ 5 (οΙΡ. γα τς τ ἀμ - δὶς οτγε Ἵν. οἱ 84}. ἀναπετάσωμεν. → ; [559] → .
Topics: Widows and consecrated virgins, Providence
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Vid. iun. 1 (PG 48:599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 48, archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 9 ('Letter to a Young Widow').
Chapter 2
2PG 48:599
Ἵνα δὲ μὴ συνεχῶς τοῦτο λεγόμενον τὸ ὄνομα στρέφῃ σοὺ τὴν Ψυχὴν, καὶ συγχέῃ σου τὸν λογισμὸν, ἐν αὐτῷ «ἧς ἡλικίας τῷ ἄνθει ἐπελθὸν, ὑπὲρ τούτου διαλεχθῆναι βούλομαι πρῶτον καὶ δεῖξαι ὅτι οὐ συμφορᾶς, ἀλλὰ τιμῆς ἔστιν ὄνομα [τὸ τῆς χηρείας ὄνομα], καὶ τιμῆς τῆς μεγίστης. Μὴ γάρ μοι τὴν τῶν πολλῶν δόξαν τὴν πεπλανημένην εἰς μαρτυρίαν ἀγάγης, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μαχαρίον Παύλου, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν νομοθεσίαν. “Ἃ γὰρ ἐχεῖνος ἐφθέγγετο, ταῦτα ὁ Χριστὸς ἐλάλει δι᾽ αὐτοῦ, χαθὼς καὶ αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν, ΕἸ δ δοχιμὴν ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ; Τί οὖν φησι; Χήρα κατα- «ἰεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήχοντα γεγονυῖα" καὶ πάλιν Νεωτέρας δὲ χήρας παραιτοῦ" δὲ ἀμφοτέρων τοῦ πράγματος ἡμῖν τὸ μέγεθος παραστῆσαι βουλόμενος. Καὶ περὶ μὲν ἐπισχόπων διαταττόμενος οὐδαμοῦ τίθησιν ἐτῶν ἀριθμὸν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ πολλὴν ποιξῖται τὴν ἀχρίδειαν. Τί δήποτε; Οὐχ ὅτι ἡ χηρεία μείξων νης ἐστὶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι μείζονα αὗται πόνον ἐχείνων ἔχουσι, πραγμάτων αὐτὰς πολλῶν πολλαχόθεν περιῤῥεόντων, δημοσίων καὶ ἰδιωτιχῶν, Καθάπερ γὰρ πόλις ἀτείχιστος εἰς μέσον ἅπασι τοῖς βουλομένοις ἁρπάζειν πρόχειται, οὕτω καὶ χόρη χηρείᾳ συζῶσα πολλοὺς ἔχει πανταχόθεν τοὺς ἐπιδουλεύοντας,. οὗ τοὺς τῶν χρημάτων αὐτῆς «ἐφιεμένους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς τὴν σωφροσύνην αὐτῆς διαφθεῖραι σπεύδοντας. Καὶ οὐ ταύτας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρας πρὸς τὸ πεσεῖν αὐτὴν ἀφορμὰς προσγενομένας εὑρήσομεν. Καὶ γὰρ οἰκέται καταφρονοῦντες, καὶ πράγματὰ ἀμελούμενα, καὶ τὸ μηχέτι ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ εἶναι τιμῇ, καὶ τὸ τὰς ὁμήλικας εὖ πραττούσας ὁρᾷν, πολλάχις δὲ καὶ τὸ τρυφῆς ἐπιθυμεῖν, δευτέροις αὐτὰς ἔπεισεν ὁμιλῆσαι γάμοις. Εἰσὶ δὲ αἱ νόμῳ μὲν γάμου οὐχ ἐθέλουσι συγγενέσθαι τοῖς ἀνδράσι, λάθρα δὲ καὶ μετὰ τοῦ χρύπτεσθαι.. Τοῦτο δὲ ποιοῦσιν, ἵνα τὰ ἐγχώμια τῆς χηρείας χαρπώσωνται" οὕτως οὐχ ἐπονείδιστον, ἀλλὰ θαυμαστὸν καὶ τιμῆς ἄξιον τὸ πρᾶγμα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις εἶναν δοχεῖ, οὐ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν μόνον τοῖς πιστοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἀπίστοις αὐτοῖς. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ ποτε νέος ἔτι ὧν, τὸν σοφιστὴν τὸν ἐμὸν (πάντων δὲ ἀνδρῶν δεισιδαιμονέστερος ἐχεῖνος ἦν) οἵδα ἐπὶ πολλῶν τὴν μητέρα τὴν ἐμὴν θαυμάζοντα. Τῶν γὰρ παραχαθημένων αὐτῷ πυνθανόμένος ", οἷα εἴωθε, τίς εἴην ἐγὼ, καὶ τίνος εἰπόντος, ὅτι χήρας γυναιχὸς, ἐμάνθανε παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὴν τε ἡλιχίαν «ἧς μητρὸς καὶ τῆς χηρείας τὸν χρόνον: ὡς δὲ εἶπον, ὅτ! ἐτῶν τεσσαράχοντα γεγονυῖα εἴχοσιν ἔχει λοιπὸν, ἐξ οὗ τὸν πατέρα ἀπέθδαλε τὸν ἐμὸν, ἐξεπλάγη, καὶ ἀνεθόησε μέγα, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας ἰδών" Βαδαὶ, ἔφη, οἷαι παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς γυναῖχές εἰσι. Τοσούτου οὐ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἔξωθεν Ρ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀπολαύει τοῦ θαύματος καὶ τοῦ ἐπαίνου. “Δπερ ἅπαντα συνιδὼν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, ἔλεγε" Χήρα καταλεγέσθω, μὴ ἔλαττον ἑτῶν ἑξήκοντα γεγονυῖα. Καὶ οὐδὲ μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην τῶν χρόνων μαρτυρίαν ἀφίησιν αὐτὴν εἰς πὸν ἅγιον τοῦτον ταγῆναι χορὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερα προσαἰθησι λέγων, Ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς μαρευρουμέγη, εἰ ἐτεκγοτρόφησεν, εἰ ἐξεγοδόχησεν,, εἰ ἁγίων πόδας ἔνιψεν, δἰ θλιδομένοις ἐπήρκεσεν, δὶ παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐπηκολούθησε. Βαθαὶ τῆς δοχιμασίας καὶ τῆς ἢχσάνου, ὅσην παρὰ τῆς χήρας ἀπαιτεῖ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ πῶ; ἀκριθδολογεῖται! οὐχ ἂν τοῦτο ποιῆσας, εἰ μὴ πρᾶμα τίμιον καὶ σεμνὸν ἔμελλεν ἐμπιστεύειν αὐτῇ. Καὶ, Νεωτέρας δὲ, φησὶ, χήρας παραιτοῦ. Εἶτα καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν προστίθησιν" “Ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηγιάσωσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσι. Διὰ τούτου γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῦ ῥήματος αἰνίττεται, ὅτι αἱ τοὺς ἄνδρας ἀποδαλοῦσαι ἀντ᾽ ἐχείνων ἁρμόττονται τῷ Χριστῷ. Ὅρα πῶς δειχνὺς « τὴν ἁρμονίαν ταύτην ῥᾷονα οὖσαν καὶ ἐπιειχῇ, ποῦτο τίθησι’ λέγω δὲ τὸ, Ὅταν γὰρ καταστρηγιάσωσι “τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γαμεῖν θέλουσι, χαθάπερ τινὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐπιειχοῦς, καὶ οὐ μετ᾽ ἐξουσίας αὐταῖς χεχρημένου, ἀλλ᾽ ἐῶντος ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ ζῇν. Καὶ οὐδὲ μέχρι τούτων τὸν λόγον ἔστησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρωθι πάλιν πολλὴν ὑπὲρ αὐ- «ἧς τὴν φροντίδα πεποίηται λέγων᾽ Ἢ δὲ σπαταϊῶσα ζῶσα τέθγηκεν" ἡ δὲ ὄντως χήρα καὶ μεμογωμένη. ἤλπισεν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ προσμένει ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς ἡμέρας καὶ νυχτός. Καὶ Κοριν-" θίοις ἐπιστέλλων φησί: Μακαριωτέρα δέ ἐστιν ἐὰν οὕτω μείνῃ. Εἶδες ὅσα τῆς χηρείας τὰ ἐγχώμια, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν τῇ Καινῇ, ὅτ: καὶ τὸ τῆς παρθενίας διέλαμψε χαλόν; ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐδὲ τότε τὰς μαρμαρυγὰς αὑτῆς ἀποχρύψαι ἴσχυσεν ἡ ταύτης φαιδρότης, ἀλλὰ διαλάμπει καὶ οὕτω τὴν οἰχείαν ἔχουσα ἀρετήν. Ὅταν οὖν μνημονεύωμεν μεταξὺ χηρείας, μὴ χαταπέσῃς, μηδὲ ὄνειδος τὸ πρᾶγμα νόμιζε" εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἐπονείδιστον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἢ παρθενία, ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐχ ἔστιν, οὖκ ἔστι, μὴ γένοιτο. Ὅπον γὰρ τὰς ἕτι περιόντων ἀπεχομένας τῶν ἀνδρῶν θαυμάζομεν ἅπαντες καὶ ἀποδεχόμεθα, τὰς καὶ ἀπελθόντῶν αὑτῶν τὴν αὐτὴν περὶ αὐτοὺς ἐπιδειχνυμένας εὕνοιαν, πῶς οὐχ ἐχπλήττεσθαι δεῖ καὶ ἐπαινεῖν; “Ἕως μὲν οὖν, ὅπερ ἔφην, συνῇς τῷ μαχαρίῳ θΘηρασίῳ, καὶ τιμῆς καὶ προνοίας ἀπέλαυσας ἀ, οἵας παρὰ ἀνθρώπου ἀπολαύειν εἰχός" νῦν δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐχείνου τάξιν ἔχεις τὸν ἁπάντων Δεσπότην Θεὸν, ὅς καὶ πάλαι σου προεστὼς μειζόνως καὶ μετὰ πλείονος τοῦτο ποιήσει τῆς σπουδῆς νῦν" καὶ τῆς πολλῆς αὑτοῦ προνοίας οὐ μικρὸν, ὥσπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, τεχμήριον ἔδειξεν ἡμῖν ἤδη, ἐν τοσαύτῃ χαμίνῳ φροντίδων καὶ λύπης ὑγιῆ καὶ ἀνέπαφόν σε διαφυλάξας, καὶ μηδὲν ἀφεὶς τῶν ἀδουλήτων παθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ ἐν τοσούτῳ σάλῳ μηδὲν συγχωρήσας γίνεσθαι ναυάγιον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν γαλήνῃ διατηρήσει τὴν σὴν ψυχὴν καὶ χούφην ποιήσει τὴν χηρείαν, καὶ τὰ ἐχ ταύτης δοχοῦντα. εἶναι δεινά.
Hina de mē synechōs touto legomenon to onoma strephę̄ sou tēn Psychēn, kai syncheę̄ sou ton logismon, en autǭ «hēs hēlikias tǭ anthei epelthon, hyper toutou dialechthēnai boulomai prōton kai deixai hoti ou symphoras, alla timēs estin onoma [to tēs chēreias onoma], kai timēs tēs megistēs. Mē gar moi tēn tōn pollōn doxan tēn peplanēmenēn eis martyrian agagēs, alla tou macharion Paulou, mallon de tou Christou tēn nomothesian. “Ha gar echeinos ephthengeto, tauta ho Christos elalei di᾽ autou, chathōs kai autos elegen, EI d dochimēn zēteite tou en emoi lalountos Christou? Ti oun phēsi? Chēra kata- «iegesthō mē elatton etōn hexēchonta gegonuia" kai palin Neōteras de chēras paraitou" de amphoterōn tou pragmatos hēmin to megethos parastēsai boulomenos. Kai peri men epischopōn diatattomenos oudamou tithēsin etōn arithmon, entautha de pollēn poixitai tēn achrideian. Ti dēpote? Ouch hoti hē chēreia meixōn nēs estin, all᾽ hoti meizona hautai ponon echeinōn echousi, pragmatōn autas pollōn pollachothen perirrheontōn, dēmosiōn kai idiōtichōn, Kathaper gar polis ateichistos eis meson hapasi tois boulomenois harpazein procheitai, houtō kai chorē chēreią syzōsa pollous echei pantachothen tous epidouleuontas,. hou tous tōn chrēmatōn autēs «ephiemenous monon, alla kai tous tēn sōphrosynēn autēs diaphtheirai speudontas. Kai ou tautas monon, alla kai heteras pros to pesein autēn aphormas prosgenomenas heurēsomen. Kai gar oiketai kataphronountes, kai pragmata ameloumena, kai to mēcheti en tę̄ proterą einai timę̄, kai to tas homēlikas eu prattousas horąn, pollachis de kai to tryphēs epithymein, deuterois autas epeisen homilēsai gamois. Eisi de hai nomǭ men gamou ouch ethelousi syngenesthai tois andrasi, lathra de kai meta tou chryptesthai.. Touto de poiousin, hina ta enchōmia tēs chēreias charpōsōntai" houtōs ouch eponeidiston, alla thaumaston kai timēs axion to pragma para anthrōpois einan dochei, ou par᾽ hēmin monon tois pistois, alla kai tois apistois autois. Kai gar egō pote neos eti hōn, ton sophistēn ton emon (pantōn de andrōn deisidaimonesteros echeinos ēn) hoida epi pollōn tēn mētera tēn emēn thaumazonta. Tōn gar parachathēmenōn autǭ pynthanomenos ", hoia eiōthe, tis eiēn egō, kai tinos eipontos, hoti chēras gynaichos, emanthane par᾽ emou tēn te hēlichian «hēs mētros kai tēs chēreias ton chronon: hōs de eipon, hot! etōn tessarachonta gegonuia eichosin echei loipon, ex hou ton patera apethdale ton emon, exeplagē, kai anethoēse mega, kai pros tous parontas idōn" Badai, ephē, hoiai para Christianois gynaiches eisi. Tosoutou ou par᾽ hēmin monon, alla kai para tois exōthen R to pragma apolauei tou thaumatos kai tou epainou. “Dper hapanta synidōn ho makarios Paulos, elege" Chēra katalegesthō, mē elatton hetōn hexēkonta gegonuia. Kai oude meta tēn tosautēn tōn chronōn martyrian aphiēsin autēn eis pon hagion touton tagēnai choron, alla kai hetera prosaithēsi legōn, En ergois agathois mareuroumegē, ei etekgotrophēsen, ei exegodochēsen,, ei hagiōn podas enipsen, di thlidomenois epērkesen, di panti ergǭ agathǭ epēkolouthēse. Bathai tēs dochimasias kai tēs ēchsanou, hosēn para tēs chēras apaitei tēn aretēn kai pō? akrithdologeitai! ouch an touto poiēsas, ei mē prama timion kai semnon emellen empisteuein autę̄. Kai, Neōteras de, phēsi, chēras paraitou. Eita kai tēn aitian prostithēsin" “Hotan gar katastrēgiasōsi tou Christou, gamein thelousi. Dia toutou gar hēmin tou rhēmatos ainittetai, hoti hai tous andras apodalousai ant᾽ echeinōn harmottontai tǭ Christǭ. Hora pōs deichnys « tēn harmonian tautēn rhąona ousan kai epieichę̄, pouto tithēsi’ legō de to, Hotan gar katastrēgiasōsi “tou Christou, gamein thelousi, chathaper tinos andros epieichous, kai ou met᾽ exousias autais chechrēmenou, all᾽ eōntos en eleutherią zę̄n. Kai oude mechri toutōn ton logon estēsen, alla kai heterōthi palin pollēn hyper au- «hēs tēn phrontida pepoiētai legōn᾽ Ē de spataïōsa zōsa tethgēken" hē de ontōs chēra kai memogōmenē. ēlpisen epi ton Theon, kai prosmenei tais deēsesi kai tais proseuchais hēmeras kai nychtos. Kai Korin-" thiois epistellōn phēsi: Makariōtera de estin ean houtō meinę̄. Eides hosa tēs chēreias ta enchōmia, kai tauta en tę̄ Kainę̄, hot: kai to tēs parthenias dielampse chalon? all᾽ homōs oude tote tas marmarygas hautēs apochrypsai ischysen hē tautēs phaidrotēs, alla dialampei kai houtō tēn oicheian echousa aretēn. Hotan oun mnēmoneuōmen metaxy chēreias, mē chatapesę̄s, mēde oneidos to pragma nomize" ei gar touto eponeidiston, pollǭ mallon ē parthenia, ᾿All᾽ ouch estin, ouk esti, mē genoito. Hopon gar tas heti periontōn apechomenas tōn andrōn thaumazomen hapantes kai apodechometha, tas kai apelthontōn hautōn tēn autēn peri autous epideichnymenas heunoian, pōs ouch echplēttesthai dei kai epainein? “Heōs men oun, hoper ephēn, synę̄s tǭ machariǭ thThērasiǭ, kai timēs kai pronoias apelausas a, hoias para anthrōpou apolauein eichos" nyn de eis tēn echeinou taxin echeis ton hapantōn Despotēn Theon, hos kai palai sou proestōs meizonōs kai meta pleionos touto poiēsei tēs spoudēs nyn" kai tēs pollēs hautou pronoias ou mikron, hōsper ephthēn eipōn, techmērion edeixen hēmin ēdē, en tosautę̄ chaminǭ phrontidōn kai lypēs hygiē kai anepaphon se diaphylaxas, kai mēden apheis tōn adoulētōn pathein. Ho de en tosoutǭ salǭ mēden synchōrēsas ginesthai nauagion, pollǭ mallon en galēnę̄ diatērēsei tēn sēn psychēn kai chouphēn poiēsei tēn chēreian, kai ta ech tautēs dochounta. einai deina.
But so that this name, constantly spoken, may not trouble your soul and confuse your reasoning, coming upon you in the very flower of your age, I want first to discourse about it and to show that it is a name not of misfortune but of honour, and of the greatest honour. Do not bring me as witness the mistaken opinion of the many, but the legislation of blessed Paul, or rather of Christ. For what he uttered, Christ spoke through him, as he himself said: “Since you seek proof of Christ who speaks in me.” What, then, does he say? “Let a widow be enrolled who is not less than sixty years old”; and again, “But refuse younger widows” — wishing by both to show us the greatness of the thing. And in giving directions about bishops he nowhere sets a number of years, but here he takes great care. Why so? Not because widowhood is greater than [the priesthood], but because these women have greater toil than they, with many affairs, public and private, flowing around them from many sides. For as an unwalled city lies open to all who wish to plunder it, so a young woman living in widowhood has many who plot against her from every side, not only those who covet her money, but also those eager to corrupt her chastity. And not only these, but we shall find other occasions besides arising for her fall. For servants who despise her, and neglected affairs, and no longer being in her former honour, and seeing women of her age doing well, and often also the desire for luxury, have persuaded such women to enter second marriages. And there are some who are unwilling to unite with men by the law of marriage, but do so secretly and in concealment. And they do this in order to reap the praises of widowhood; so far is the thing from being thought disgraceful among people that it seems admirable and worthy of honour, not only among us believers but even among unbelievers themselves. For I remember that once, when I was still young, my teacher of rhetoric (and he was the most superstitious of all men) admired my mother before many people. For, enquiring of those sitting by him, as he was accustomed, who I was, and someone saying that I was the son of a widow, he learned from me my mother's age and the length of her widowhood; and when I said that she was forty years old and that it was now twenty years since she had lost my father, he was astonished, cried out loudly, and, looking at those present, said: “Ah, what women there are among Christians!” Such admiration and praise does the thing enjoy, not only among us but also among those outside. Seeing all this, blessed Paul said: “Let a widow be enrolled who is not less than sixty years old.” And not even after so great a testimony of years does he allow her to be ranked in this holy choir, but adds other things too, saying: “well attested for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has devoted herself to every good work.” What a testing and trial! How much virtue he demands of the widow, and how precisely he examines her! He would not have done this if he were not about to entrust her with something honourable and dignified. And “But refuse younger widows,” he says. Then he adds the reason: “For when they grow wanton against Christ, they wish to marry.” By this word he hints to us that women who have lost their husbands are joined to Christ in their place. See how, to show that this union is easier and gentler, he puts it — I mean the words, “For when they grow wanton against Christ, they wish to marry” — as of a gentle husband who does not use his authority over them but lets them live in freedom. And he did not stop his discourse even at this point, but elsewhere again he has taken great care for her, saying: “But she who lives in luxury is dead while she lives”; “but the real widow, who is left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers day and night.” And writing to the Corinthians he says: “But she is more blessed if she remains as she is.” You see how great are the praises of widowhood, and that in the New Testament, when the beauty of virginity too shone forth; yet even then the brightness of virginity did not succeed in hiding the radiance of widowhood, but it too shines through, having its own virtue. When, then, we mention widowhood, do not be cast down, nor think the thing a reproach; for if this is a reproach, much more is virginity. But it is not, it is not, God forbid. For where we all admire and approve women who abstain from their husbands while they are still living, how ought we not to be astonished at and praise those who show the same goodwill toward them even after they have departed? As long, then, as I said, as you were with blessed Therasius, you enjoyed honour and providence such as it was likely to enjoy from a human being; but now you have in his place God, the Master of all, who watched over you formerly too, and will now do this more greatly and with more zeal; and of his great providence he has already shown us no small proof, as I said before, by keeping you sound and unharmed in so great a furnace of cares and grief, and letting you suffer nothing you did not wish. And he who allowed no shipwreck to happen in so great a tossing will much more keep your soul in calm, and will make your widowhood light, together with what seem to be its terrors.
2 Cor 13:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:40 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom shows from 1 Tim 5 that widowhood is a name of honour, notes that young widows are often drawn into second marriages, tells how his pagan teacher admired his mother's long widowhood, and says that widows are joined to Christ in their husbands' place.
- Letter to a Young Widow, staging ref 2. Translated from the Greek, then compared with NPNF¹ 9. The word after “greater than” is damaged in the OCR (…νης, read as ἱερωσύνης, “the priesthood”). Chrysostom reads 1 Tim 5:11 (“grow wanton against Christ, they wish to marry”) as showing that widows are joined to Christ as to a husband; he names “second marriages” among the dangers of young widowhood without forbidding them. A line displaced by the OCR into this ref (it belongs at the start of ref 3) and leaked apparatus and column numbers are removed by logged corrections. Quotations: 2 Cor 13:3; 1 Tim 5:9, 11, 10, 6, 5; 1 Cor 7:40.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne column number in the text; apparatus leaked into the text; apparatus leaked into the text, with a line of the next section displaced here by the OCR (restored in ref 3)): ἁ 5]. (5. Μογοῖ. δἱ ϑυὶ. ἰῃ πιᾶγβ., 5401}. [ἢ ἰθχίυ { ϑ4νῇ!. οἱ (15. καὶ πάλιν. δ᾽ 8401}. εἱ Μοτεὶ. εἰ, (015. ἥ. → ; [540] → ; νος. “ῃ 85|ς 0185. οἱ ϑανὶ!. καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἔξωθεν. ς (ΟΙὉ. εἱ 8.1}. τῷ Χριστῷ. Εἶτα δειχνύς, Μογε]. τῷ Χριοὖσαν, ϑ.ν}}. ἴὼ τπιᾶγρ. ῥᾷον οὖσαν, (010. πρᾶον οὖσαν. «καὶ εἰς τὸ μηδὲν ἔληγεν, ἔδει θορυδεῖσθαι καὶ ἀλγεῖν" εἴ καὶ ταῖς → καὶ ταῖς; [541] → .
Topics: Divorce and remarriage, Marriage, Widows and consecrated virgins
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Vid. iun. 2 (PG 48:599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 48, archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 9 ('Letter to a Young Widow').
Chapter 3
3PG 48:601
Εἰ δέ σε οὐ τὸ τῆς χηρείας ὄνομα θορυδεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἄνδρα τοιοῦτον ἀποδαλεῖν, συνομολογῶ μέν σοι χἀγὼ πανταχοῦ γῆς ὀλίγους γεγενῆσθαι τοιούτους ἐν ἀνδράσι βιω- Δλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν διελύετο παντελῶς καὶ εἰς τὸ μηδὲν ἔληγεν, ἔδει θορυβεῖσθαι καὶ ἀλγεῖν· εἰ δὲ εἰς τὸν εὔδιον κατέπλευσε λιμένα, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ὄντως αὐτοῦ βασιλέα ἀποδεδήμηχεν, οὐ πενθεῖν ὑπὲρ τούτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ καίρειν δεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ θάνατος ὁ θάνατος οὗτος, ἀλλ᾽ ἀποδημία καὶ μετάστασίς τις ἀπὸ τῶν χειρόνων ἐπὶ τὰ βελτίω, ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς ἀγγέλους καὶ ἀρχαγγέλους καὶ τὸν τῶν ἀγγέλων καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων Δεσπότην. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς στρατευόμενον βασιλεῖ καὶ χινδύνους ἦν προσδοχᾷν, καὶ πολλὰς παρὰ τῶν φθονούντων τὰς ἐπιθουλάς: ὅδῳ γὰρ αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς εὐδοχιμήσεως ηὔξετο, τοσούτῳ καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπλεόναξεν " ἐχεῖ δὲ ἀπελθόντα οὐχ ἔστιν ὑποπτεῦσαι τούτων οὐδέν. Ὥστε ὅσῳπερ ἂν πενθῇς ὅτι χρηστὸν ὄντα καὶ ἐνάρετον ἔλαῦεν ὁ Θεὸς, τοσούτῳ καίρειν δεῖ ὅτι μετὰ πολλῆς «ἧς ἀσφαλείας καὶ τῆς δόξης ἀποδεδήμηχε, καὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ παρόντι κινδύνῳ ταραχῆς ἀπαλλαγεὶς, ἐστὶν ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ ἡσυχίᾳ πολλῇ. Πῶς γὰρ οὐχ ἄτοπον τὸν “ὲν οὐρανὸν πολλῷ βελτίω τῆς γῆς εἶναι ὁμολογεῖν, τοὺς δὲ ἀπὸ ταύ-τὴς ἐχεῖ μεταστάντας πενθεῖν; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν αἰσχρῶς βεθιωχότων καὶ παρὰ τὸ τῷ Θεῷ δοχοῦν ὁ μαχάριος ἐχεῖνος ἦν, ἔδει κόπτεσθαι καὶ θρηνεῖν, οὐκ ἀπελθόντα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζῶντα ἐχεῖνον’ ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῶν αὐτῷ φίλων καὶ οὗτος εἷς ἐτύγχανεν ὧν, οὐ ζῶντι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ χοιμηθέντι συνήδεσθαι χρή. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ποιεῖν δεῖ, «οῦ μαχαρίου Παύλου πάντως ἤχουσας λέγοντος" Τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἴναι πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσαν. ᾿Αλλὰ ῥημάτων ἴσως ποθεῖς ἀχοῦσαι τῶν ἐχείνου, καὶ φιλίας ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ συνἥήθειαν ἐπιζητεῖς, καὶ δόξαν τὴν δι᾿ αὐτὸν, καὶ λαμπρό- «ητα καὶ τιμὴν καὶ ἀσφάλειαν, καὶ ταῦτά τε πάντα φροῦδα γενόμενα θορυδεῖ καὶ σχότοζ. Τὴν μὲν οὖν φιλίαν τὴν πρὸς ἐχεῖνον ἔξεστί σοι φυλάττειν καὶ νῦν ὁμοίως, ὥσπερ καὶ πρότερον. Τοιαύτη γὰῤ ἡ τῆς ἀγάπης δύναμις" οὐ τοὺς παρόν: τας μόνον καὶ πλησίον ὄντας ἡμῶν ἃ καὶ ὁρωμένους, ἄλλὰ καὶ τοὺς μαχρὰν ἀφεστῶτας περιλαμθδάνει καὶ συγχολλᾷ καὶ συνδεῖ" γαὶ οὔτε χρόνου πλῆθος, οὔτε ὁδῶν διάστημα, οὔτε ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδὲν ψυχῆς φιλίαν διαχύψαι δύναιτ᾽ ἂν καὶ διατερεῖν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πρόσωπον αὐτὸν βούλει πρὸς πρόσωπον ἰδεῖν (τοῦτο γὰρ οἷδα ὅτι μάλιστα ποθεῖς), διαφύλαξον αὐτῷ τὴν εὐνὴν ἀνέπαφον ἀνδρὸς ἑτέρου, καὶ βίον ἐπιδείξασθαι σπούδασον ἴσον ἐχείνῳ, καὶ πάντως εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν ἀπελεύσῃ χορὸν » αὐτῷ, οὐ πέντε ἔτη καθάπερ ἐνθάδε, οὐδὲ εἴχοσι καὶ ἑκατὸν, οὐδὲ χίλια καὶ δὶς τοσαῦτα, οὐδὲ μύρια καὶ πολλάχις τοσαῦτα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀπείρους καὶ ἀτελευτήτους αἰῶνας αὐτῷ συνὸιχήσουσα. Τοὺς γὰρ τῆς ἀνὰκαύσεως τόπους ἐχείνους « οὐχ αἱ συγγένειαι αἱ σωμάτικαὶ, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τῶν βίων ἰσότης χληρονομεῖν πέφυχεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἀγνῶτα ὄντα τῷ ᾿Αδραὰμ εἰς τοὺς αὐτοὺς αὐτῷ χόλπους ἤγαγε, καὶ πολλοὺς ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν μετ᾽ ἐχείνου ἀναχλιθῆναι παρασχευάζει τὸ τῆς πολιτείας ἀπαράλλαχτόν, καὶ σὲ μετὰ τοῦ χαλοῦ Θηρασίου ὁ τῆς ἀνέσεως ἐχδέξεται τόπος, ἂν ἐχείνῳ τὸν βίον θέλῃς ἐπιδείξασθαι τὸν αὑτόν" καὶ τότε αὐτὸν οὐχ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ κάλλει τοῦ σώματος, ὅπερ ἔχων ἀπῆλθεν, ἀπολήψη πάλιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἑτέρᾳ τινὶ μαρμαρυγῇ καὶ φαιδρότητι μᾶλλον τῶν ἡλιαχῶν ἀχτίνων ἀπολαμ- Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ σῶμα, χἄν ἐν ὕψει τρέχῃ πολλῷ, φθαρτὸν ὅμως ἐστί" τὰ δὲ σώματα τῶν εὐηρεστηχότων τῷ Θεῷ τοσαύτην ἐνδύσεται δόξαν, ὅσην οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν ἕνι τούτοις τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς. Καὶ τούτων ἡμῖν σημεῖά τινα καὶ ἴχνη ἂμυδρὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ καὶ ἐν τῇ Καινῇ δοθῆναι παρεἐσχεύασεν ὁ Θεός. ἘἜχεϊζ μὲν γὰρ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Μωῦσέως τοσαύτῃ χατελάμπετο δόξῃ τότε, ὡς ἀπρόσιτον εἶναι τοῖς τῶν Ἰσράηλιτῶν ὀφθαλμοῖς" ἐν δὲ νῇ Καινῇ τούτου πολλῷ πλέον ἐξέλαμψε τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, εἰ βασιλέα τις αὐτὸν ἐπηγγέλλετο πάσης ποιῆσαι τῆς γῆς, εἶτα ἑτῶν εἴχοσι χρόνον ἀποστῆναί σε ἐχέλευσεν ὑπὲρ τούτον, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτά σοι μετὰ τοῦ διαδήματος καὶ τῆς ἁλουργίδος ἀποδώσειν αὐτὸν ἐπηγγέλλετο, καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὴν ἃ αὐτὴν τάξειν ἐχείνῳ τιμὴν, ἄρα οὐκ ἂν τὸν χωρισμὸν πράως ἐνέγχῃς καὶ μετὰ σωφροσύνης τῆς πρόσηχούσης; ἄρα οὐκ ἂν ἡσμένισας τῷ δώρῳ, καὶ πρᾶγμα εὐχῆς ἄξίον εἶναι ἑνόμισας; Τοῦτο᾽ τοίνυν ἀνάσχου καὶ νῦν, οὐχ ὑπὲρ βασιλείας τῆς ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐν οὐρανοῖς" οὐχ ἵνα ἑμάτιον χρυσοῦν φοροῦντα ἀπολάδῃς, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ἀθανασίαν 6 καὶ δόξαν, ὅσην τοὺς ἐν οὐρανοῖς διάγοντας ἔχειν εἰχός . Εἰ δὲ σφόδρα ἀφορήτως ἔχεις πρὸς τὸ τοῦ χρόνου μαχρὸν, εἰχὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δι᾽ ὀνειράτων ἐπιστῆναί σοί ποτε, χαΐ διαλέγεσθαι τὰ ἐν συνηθείᾳ, καὶ δείξειν ὄψιν τὴν ποθουμένην" τοῦτό σοι ἀντὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἔστω παραμύθιον, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπιστολῶν τρανότερον. Ἑχεῖ μὲν γὰρ γράμματα μόνον ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ τύπον ἔψεως καὶ γέλωτα προσηνῆ καὶ σχῆμα καὶ βάδισιν, καξ ἠχῆς ἀχοῦσαι, καὶ φωνὴν ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν φιλτάτην:
Ei de se ou to tēs chēreias onoma thorydei, alla to andra toiouton apodalein, synomologō men soi chagō pantachou gēs oligous gegenēsthai toioutous en andrasi biō- Dll᾽ ei men dielyeto pantelōs kai eis to mēden elēgen, edei thorybeisthai kai algein; ei de eis ton eudion katepleuse limena, kai pros ton ontōs autou basilea apodedēmēchen, ou penthein hyper toutōn, alla kai kairein dei. Ou gar thanatos ho thanatos houtos, all᾽ apodēmia kai metastasis tis apo tōn cheironōn epi ta beltiō, apo tēs gēs pros ton ouranon, apo tōn anthrōpōn pros angelous kai archangelous kai ton tōn angelōn kai archangelōn Despotēn. Entautha men gar epi tēs gēs strateuomenon basilei kai chindynous ēn prosdochąn, kai pollas para tōn phthonountōn tas epithoulas: hodǭ gar autǭ ta tēs eudochimēseōs ēuxeto, tosoutǭ kai ta para tōn echthrōn epleonaxen " echei de apelthonta ouch estin hypopteusai toutōn ouden. Hōste hosǭper an penthę̄s hoti chrēston onta kai enareton elauen ho Theos, tosoutǭ kairein dei hoti meta pollēs «hēs asphaleias kai tēs doxēs apodedēmēche, kai tēs en tǭ paronti kindynǭ tarachēs apallageis, estin en eirēnę̄ kai hēsychią pollę̄. Pōs gar ouch atopon ton “en ouranon pollǭ beltiō tēs gēs einai homologein, tous de apo tau-tēs echei metastantas penthein? Ei men gar tōn aischrōs bethiōchotōn kai para to tǭ Theǭ dochoun ho macharios echeinos ēn, edei koptesthai kai thrēnein, ouk apelthonta monon, alla kai zōnta echeinon’ epeidē de tōn autǭ philōn kai houtos heis etynchanen hōn, ou zōnti monon, alla kai choimēthenti synēdesthai chrē. Kai hoti touto poiein dei, «ou machariou Paulou pantōs ēchousas legontos" To analysai kai syn Christǭ einai pollǭ mallon kreissan. ᾿Alla rhēmatōn isōs potheis achousai tōn echeinou, kai philias apolausai tēs pros auton, kai synēētheian epizēteis, kai doxan tēn di᾿ auton, kai lampro- «ēta kai timēn kai asphaleian, kai tauta te panta phrouda genomena thorydei kai schotoz. Tēn men oun philian tēn pros echeinon exesti soi phylattein kai nyn homoiōs, hōsper kai proteron. Toiautē gar hē tēs agapēs dynamis" ou tous paron: tas monon kai plēsion ontas hēmōn ha kai horōmenous, alla kai tous machran aphestōtas perilamthdanei kai synchollą kai syndei" gai oute chronou plēthos, oute hodōn diastēma, oute allo tōn toioutōn ouden psychēs philian diachypsai dynait᾽ an kai diaterein. Ei de kai prosōpon auton boulei pros prosōpon idein (touto gar hoida hoti malista potheis), diaphylaxon autǭ tēn eunēn anepaphon andros heterou, kai bion epideixasthai spoudason ison echeinǭ, kai pantōs eis ton auton apeleusę̄ choron » autǭ, ou pente etē kathaper enthade, oude eichosi kai hekaton, oude chilia kai dis tosauta, oude myria kai pollachis tosauta, alla tous apeirous kai ateleutētous aiōnas autǭ synoichēsousa. Tous gar tēs anakauseōs topous echeinous « ouch hai syngeneiai hai sōmatikai, all᾽ hē tōn biōn isotēs chlēronomein pephychen. Ei gar kai ton Lazaron agnōta onta tǭ ᾿Adraam eis tous autous autǭ cholpous ēgage, kai pollous apo anatolōn kai dysmōn met᾽ echeinou anachlithēnai parascheuazei to tēs politeias aparallachton, kai se meta tou chalou Thērasiou ho tēs aneseōs echdexetai topos, an echeinǭ ton bion thelę̄s epideixasthai ton hauton" kai tote auton ouch en toutǭ tǭ kallei tou sōmatos, hoper echōn apēlthen, apolēpsē palin, all᾽ en heterą tini marmarygę̄ kai phaidrotēti mallon tōn hēliachōn achtinōn apolam- Touto gar to sōma, chan en hypsei trechę̄ pollǭ, phtharton homōs esti" ta de sōmata tōn euērestēchotōn tǭ Theǭ tosautēn endysetai doxan, hosēn oude idein heni toutois tois ophthalmois. Kai toutōn hēmin sēmeia tina kai ichnē amydra kai en tę̄ Palaią kai en tę̄ Kainę̄ dothēnai pareescheuasen ho Theos. EEcheïz men gar to prosōpon tou Mōyseōs tosautę̄ chatelampeto doxę̄ tote, hōs aprositon einai tois tōn Israēlitōn ophthalmois" en de nę̄ Kainę̄ toutou pollǭ pleon exelampse to tou Christou. Eipe gar moi, ei basilea tis auton epēngelleto pasēs poiēsai tēs gēs, eita hetōn eichosi chronon apostēnai se echeleusen hyper touton, kai meta tauta soi meta tou diadēmatos kai tēs halourgidos apodōsein auton epēngelleto, kai palin eis tēn ha autēn taxein echeinǭ timēn, ara ouk an ton chōrismon praōs enenchę̄s kai meta sōphrosynēs tēs prosēchousēs? ara ouk an hēsmenisas tǭ dōrǭ, kai pragma euchēs axion einai henomisas? Touto᾽ toinyn anaschou kai nyn, ouch hyper basileias tēs en tę̄ gę̄, all᾽ hyper tēs en ouranois" ouch hina hemation chrysoun phorounta apoladę̄s, all᾽ hina athanasian 6 kai doxan, hosēn tous en ouranois diagontas echein eichos . Ei de sphodra aphorētōs echeis pros to tou chronou machron, eichos auton kai di᾽ oneiratōn epistēnai soi pote, chaï dialegesthai ta en synētheią, kai deixein opsin tēn pothoumenēn" touto soi anti tōn epistolōn estō paramythion, mallon de touto kai epistolōn tranoteron. Hechei men gar grammata monon estin idein, entautha de kai typon epseōs kai gelōta prosēnē kai schēma kai badisin, kax ēchēs achousai, kai phōnēn epignōnai tēn philtatēn:
But if it is not the name of widowhood that troubles you, but the loss of such a husband, I too agree with you that in all the earth few such have lived among men engaged in worldly affairs … But if he had been utterly dissolved and had come to nothing, you ought to be troubled and grieve; but if he has sailed into a calm harbour and has departed to his true King, you ought not to mourn for this, but even to rejoice. For this death is not death, but a departure and a removal from worse things to better, from earth to heaven, from men to angels and archangels and to the Master of angels and archangels. For here on earth, serving the emperor, he had to expect dangers and many plots from the envious; for the more his reputation grew, the more the hostility of his enemies multiplied; but now that he has departed there, it is possible to suspect none of these things. So the more you mourn that God has taken a good and virtuous man, the more you ought to rejoice that he has departed with much safety and glory, and, freed from the trouble of present danger, is in peace and much quiet. For is it not absurd to acknowledge that heaven is much better than earth, and yet to mourn those who have moved from here to there? For if that blessed man had been one of those who lived shamefully and contrary to God's will, you ought to beat your breast and lament, not only now that he has departed but also while he was living; but since he was one of God's friends, you ought to rejoice with him not only while he was living but also now that he has fallen asleep. And that you ought to do this you have surely heard blessed Paul saying: “To depart and be with Christ is far better.” But perhaps you long to hear his words, and to enjoy his love, and you seek his company, and the glory you had through him, and the splendour and honour and security, and all these, now vanished, trouble and darken you. The love for him you may keep even now, as before. For such is the power of love: it embraces and joins and binds not only those who are present and near us and seen, but also those who are far away; and neither length of time, nor distance of roads, nor anything else of this kind could break off and divide the love of the soul. And if you wish to see him face to face (for this I know you long for most), keep his bed untouched by another man, and be eager to show a life equal to his, and you will surely go to the same choir with him, to dwell with him not five years, as here, nor twenty or a hundred, nor a thousand or twice as many, nor ten thousand and many times as many, but through the infinite and endless ages. For it is not bodily kinship but likeness of life that inherits those places of rest. For if the unvarying likeness of conduct brought Lazarus, a stranger to Abraham, into the same bosom with him, and prepares many from east and west to recline with him, the place of rest will receive you too with the good Therasius, if you are willing to show the same life as he; and then you will receive him again, not in this beauty of body which he had when he departed, but shining with another radiance and brightness greater than the rays of the sun. For this body, even if it reaches great beauty, is corruptible nevertheless; but the bodies of those who have pleased God will put on such glory as cannot even be seen with these eyes. And of these things God has arranged that certain signs and faint traces be given to us both in the Old Testament and in the New. For there the face of Moses then shone with such glory that it was unapproachable to the eyes of the Israelites; and in the New the face of Christ shone much more than this. For tell me, if someone promised to make him king of all the earth, and then ordered you to be separated from him for twenty years for this purpose, and promised after that to give him back to you with the diadem and the purple, and to set you again in the same honour with him, would you not bear the separation gently and with fitting self-control? Would you not have welcomed the gift and thought it a thing worth praying for? Bear this, then, now too, not for a kingdom on earth but for the kingdom in heaven; not so as to receive him wearing a golden robe, but immortality and glory such as those who dwell in heaven are likely to have. And if you find the length of time very unbearable, he is likely to stand by you sometimes in dreams, and to talk of familiar things, and to show you the face you long for; let this be your consolation instead of letters, or rather this is clearer even than letters. For in letters one can see only writing, but here the form of his face and his gentle laughter and bearing and gait; and one can hear his voice and recognize the dearest sound.
Phil 1:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 8:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 34:30 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 17:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 15:42 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom tells the widow that her husband Therasius has gone to a better life, and urges her to keep his bed untouched by another man and to live as he did, so as to be with him in the age to come.
- Letter to a Young Widow, staging ref 3. Translated from the Greek, then compared with NPNF¹ 9. The phrase “keep his bed untouched by another man” (διαφύλαξον αὐτῷ τὴν εὐνὴν ἀνέπαφον ἀνδρὸς ἑτέρου) is Chrysostom's counsel against remarriage, given as advice, not as a command. The marriage had lasted five years. The clause “and had come to nothing, you ought to be troubled and grieve; but if”, displaced by the OCR into ref 2, is restored here by a logged correction; the end of the first sentence, cut off in the OCR after βιω- (read as βιωτικοῖς, “engaged in worldly affairs”), is marked “…”; and the end of a participle after “brightness” (ἀπολαμ-) are translated by sense. Leaked apparatus and Migne's Latin version are removed by logged corrections. Quotation: Phil 1:23; allusions: Luke 16:22–23; Matt 8:11; Exod 34:29–35; Matt 17:2; 1 Cor 15:42–44.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne column number in the text; Migne's Latin version and apparatus leaked into the Greek column; a line displaced by the OCR into ref 2 (καὶ εἰς τὸ μηδὲν ἔληγεν, ἔδει θορυδεῖσθαι καὶ ἀλγεῖν· εἰ) restored to its place; apparatus leaked into the text): παντελῶς, ὃὲ εἰς → παντελῶς καὶ εἰς τὸ μηδὲν ἔληγεν, ἔδει θορυβεῖσθαι καὶ ἀλγεῖν· εἰ δὲ εἰς; ο δὲς (οἱ. οἱ ὅν. [ ἸΒούγυηῖ, βϑὰ δεἷλπὶ 40] ρυἀἰοἰ εἰ τη ἰροίτα ν᾽ Οἴαγα δῖι:ἀοπιδϑιϊοογαηι σΟΠἰοΠΙρίιι5, Οἱ ΓῈ5 πο ]θοίς, οἱ οἱ ἀο]ϊείαγιπι οὐρα 185 60 τὰν οἰογυπὶ; βοὰ 4112 δαὶ 14 βου θη : [π| ορετίθιιε ὑως ποεῖς αὐ αἷς (1ϊά. υ. ὃ.. Εἰ δα ΟονΥίμ!νο5 εονῖἃ ἀδιοτίονῖθυβ 2 πιοιίογα, ἃ ἴθγγὰ αὰ φαίη, ἃ ᾿ο- Τα Ὠ 0.8 Δ ΔΏ66105 οἱ ἀγο δησο]οθ, δίψα 460 ᾿μϑαμι 1 οἷς. ΘΟ}. οἱ. δαν.; ἰᾳ Μόγοῖ, πιο, δ π Ῥαηΐ, δίᾳιιβ ᾿ς οπιηΐα ρου ἰἶ586 δα ῦε ἴδ γβ, οἱ 4028] [6οὐχ ᾿ΠΠ πὶ δι οἰἰἶδπὶ ταῦθ εἰδὶ σης δίηυθ Οαγίιαθ εἰ Ῥγορε εἰ μοη πΊ}}}6, δὰϊ 5 τὰ }}16, δυὶ ἀδοοπὶ τη} } 1}, ἀὐὶ πηι} 0 ΡΟΙ οἰ τιι5 6556] εἰ 56 ποι 6 βϑοοδϑίοηθῃι ἰδία πι) 400 Δη 110 οἱ 61 4αυἃ ἀξδοοὶ Ρ.-"-----ὄ.....αἶγο, οἱ δπιίεαπι ᾿"]πὶ γοσ απ Δβηοβοδγα. οὐ θ᾽ οι τ 8 2 πο }}}}8 Δηπυπιδγδίβ, ἃς πα ποἢ δἀάυοδηΐϊ, υἱ Πος πιοὰο ἠροαδϑαγίῃπι βὶ δὲ υἱοί οοιηςδῶ → ; [542] → ; 8 (Γοἱῃ. ἡμῖν. Τηΐτα ϑαυ!!. οἱ (10. χρόνων πλῆθος. «οὐδ. Κι ΔΑ ]. ἴῃ ἰαχία τόπους ἐκείνης, Μοτε]. οἱ ϑ4Υ᾽]. 'π πηδᾷ. τόπους ἐκείνους. ὁ βονίςς δὶ (ΟἹ. αὐτὸν ἐπηγγέλλετο, καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὴν, Μοτοὶ. αὐτὸν ἔλεγε, ταὶ πάλιν τοῦτον εἷς τήν. ᾿πῇγδ ἈΟΓΕ], οἱ 84γι!. ἡσμένισας τῷ δώρῳ, Οοἰδ. ἠἡσμένισας τὸ δῶρον. Οθ᾿ → ; [548]: → ..
Topics: Divorce and remarriage, Eschatology, Death and burial, Widows and consecrated virgins
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Vid. iun. 3 (PG 48:601; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 48, archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 9 ('Letter to a Young Widow').
Chapter 4
4PG 48:605
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας θρηνεῖς, ἣν δι᾽ ἐχεῖνον πάλαι ἐχέχτησο, ἴσως δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ μείζους ἐμφαΐνέιν ἐλπίδας εὐδοχιμήσεως (καὶ γὰρ ἤχουον εὐθέως ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ὑπάῤχων θρόνον ἥξειν αὐτὸν, δ μάλιστα πάν: των, οἴμαι, συστρέφει σου τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ συγχεῖ), ἐνὶ νόησον τοὺς ἐπὶ μείζονος ἀξιώματος" ὄντας ἐχείνου, καὶ τὸν βίον σφόδρα ἐλεεινῶς χαταστρέψαντας. ᾿Αναμνῆσῶ δέ σε" Θεόδωρον ἴσως ἀκούεις τὸν ἀπὸ Σικελίας " καὶ γὰρ τῶν σφόδρα ἐπισήμων ἐτύγχανεν ὦν" οὗτος καὶ χάλλει καὶ μεγέθει σώματος καὶ παῤῥησίᾳ τῇ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα πάντων κρατῶν, καὶ δυνάμενος ὅσα τῶν ἔνδον στρεφομένων οὐδεὶς, οὐχ ἤνεγχε τὴν εὐπραγίαν πράως ἐχείνην, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιδουλεύσας βασιλεῖ καὶ ἁλοὺς, αὐτὸς μὲν ἀπετμήθη σφόδρα ἐλεεινῶς, ἡ δὲ τούτου γυνῇ, καὶ ἀνατροφῆς καὶ γένους καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπάντων οὐδὲν ἔλαττον ἔχουσὰ τῆς εὐγενείας τῆς σῆς, πάντων ἄφνω γυμνωθεῖσα τῶν αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας αὐτῆς ἐχπέθεραπαινίδος οἰχτρότερον ζῇν ἡναγχάζετο βίον, τοσοῦτον ἔχουσα τῶν ἄλλων πλέον, ὅσον διὰ τὴν ὑπερδολὴν τῆς συμφορᾶς ἐδαχρύετο παρὰ τῶν ὁρώντων ἁπάντων αὐτήν. Λέγεται δὲ καὶ ᾿Αρτεμισία ἀνδρὸς σφόδρα εὐδοχίμου γενομένη γυνὴ, ἐπειδὴ χἀχεῖνος τυραννίδος ἐπεθύμησεν, οὕτως εἰς ταύτην τὴν πενίαν ἐλθεῖν καὶ τὴν πήρωσιν. Τό τε γὰρ μέγεθος τῆς ἀθυμίας, τό τε πλῆθος τῶν δαχρύων ἔσδεσέν αὐτῇ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς" καὶ νῦν τῶν χειραγωγησόντων δεῖται καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἑτέρων ἀξόντων θύβας, ἵνα τῆς ἀναγκαίας οὕτως εὐπορεῖν ἔχῃ τροφῆς. Καὶ Κολλὰς ἄν ἑτέρας εἶχον οἰχίας εἰπεῖν οὕτω χὰἀτένεέχθέίθαφ, εἰ μὴ τὴν τὲ εὐλάδειαν καὶ τὴν δύνεσιν τῆς σῆς ἡπιστάμην ψυχῆς, οὐχ ἔχ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων Χαχῶν τῆς οἱχείας συμφορᾶς παραμυθίαν βουλομένην εὑρεῖν. Καὶ τούτων δὲ, ὧν ἐμνήσθην, δι᾽ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐμνήσθην νῦν, δλλ᾽ ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι τὰ ἀνθρώπινα οὐδέν ἐστι πράγματα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀληθῶς, ὡς ὁ προφήτης φησὶ, Πᾶσα δόξα ἀνθρώ" ποῦ ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου. “Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἂν ἐπαρθῇ καὶ λάμψῃ, τοσούτῳ μείζονα τὴν πτῶσιν ἐργάζεται, οὐ τὰ τῶν ἀρχομένων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν βασιλεθόντων αὐτῶν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν εὕροι τις οἰχίαν ἰδιωτιχὴν τοσούτων ἐμπεπλησμένην συμφορῶν, ὅσων τὰ βασίλεια γέμει τῶν καχῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ὀρφανίαι ἄωροι, καὶ χηρεῖαι, καὶ θάναποι βίαιοι, καὶ τῶν ἐν ταῖς τραγῳδίαις παρανομώσεροι πολλῷ καὶ πιχρότεροι μάλιστα εἰς ταύτην χατασχήπτουσι τὴν ἀρχήν. Καὶ ἵνα τὰ παλαιὰ ἀφῶμεν, τῶν βασιλευσάντων ἐπὶ τῆς γενεᾶς τῆς ἡμετέρας, ἐννέα γεγένημένων ἁπάντων, δύο μόνοι κοινῷ θανάτῳ τὸν βίον χατέλυσαν" τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ὁ μὲν ὑπὸ τυράννου, ὁ δὲ ἐν πολέμῳ, ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἔνδον φυλαττόντων αὐτὸν ἐπιδουλευθεὶς, ὁ δὲ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῦ χειροτονήσαντος, καὶ τὴν ἁλουργίδα περιθέντος αὐτῷ" αἱ δὲ τούτοις συνοικήσασαι γυναῖχες, αἱ μὲν, ὥς φασι, φαρμάχοις ἀπέθανον, αἱ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀθυμίας αὐτῆς. Τῶν δὲ ἔτι περιουσῶν ἡ μὲν παῖδα ἔχουσα ὀρφανὸν τρέμει καὶ δέδοιχε μὴ τις αὐτὸν τῶν χρατούντων φόδῳ τῶν μελλόντων ἀνέλῃ" ἡ δὲ μόλις πολλῶν δεηθέντων ἀπὸ τῆς ὑπερορίας ἐπανῆλθεν, εἰς ἣν αὑτὴν ὁ χρατῶν ἐξέθαλε πρότερον. Τῶν δὲ τοῖς νῦν βαδιλεύουσι συνοιχουσῶν ἡ μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν προτέρων ἀναπνεύσασα συμφορῶν ἀναμεμιγμένην ἔχει πολλὴν τῇ ἡδονῇ τὴν ὀδύνην διὰ τὸ σφόδρα ἔτι νέον εἶναι καὶ ἄπειρὸν τὸν χρατοῦντα,, καὶ πολλοὺς πολλαχόθεν ἔχειν τοὺς ἐπιδουλεύοντας- ἡ δὲ ἀποτέθνηχε τῷ δέει, καὶ τῶν καταδίχων ἀθλιώτερον ζῇ διὰ τὸ τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, ἐξ οὗ τὸ διάδημα ἀνεδήσατο μέχρι τῆς σήμερον, ἐν πολέμοις διατρίδειν καὶ μάχαις, καὶ τῶν συμφορῶν πλέον ὑπὸ τῆς αἰσχύνης ἀναλίσχεσθαι καὶ τοῖς παρὰ πάντων ὀνείδεσιν. Ὃ γὰρ μηδέποτε γέγονε, συνέθη νῦν, καὶ τὴν αὑτῶν ἀφέντες οἱ βάρδαροι χώραν ἃ μυρίους σταδίους τῆς ἡμεπέρας καὶ πολλάκις τοσούτους ἐπέδραμον, καὶ τὰς χώρας καταχαύσαντες, καὶ τὰς πόλεις ἑλόντες, οὐχ ἐθέλουσιν ὑποστρέφειν οἴχαδε πάλιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ χορεύοντες μᾶλλον ἣ πολεμοῦντες, οὕτω χαταγελῶσι τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἅπαντας" καί τινα τῶν παρ᾽ ἐχείνοις βασιλέων φασὶν εἰπεῖν ὅτι τῆς ἀναισχυντίας ἐχπλήττοιτο τοὺς ἡμετέρους. στρατιώτας, οἵ μᾶλλον προδάτων προσδυοχῶσιν ἔτι νιχᾷν, καὶ οὐχ ἐθέλουσιν ἐχστῆναι τῆς ἑαυτῶν" αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἔφασχε καὶ χόρον εἰληφέναι πολλάχις χαταχόπτων αὐτούς. Ποίαν οὖν οἴει καὶ τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ τὴν τούτου γυναῖκα ταῦτα ἀχούουσαν τὰ ῥήματα, ἔχειν ψυχήν;
Epeidē de kai hyper asphaleias thrēneis, hēn di᾽ echeinon palai echechtēso, isōs de kai dia to meizous emphaïnein elpidas eudochimēseōs (kai gar ēchouon eutheōs epi ton tōn hyparchōn thronon hēxein auton, d malista pan: tōn, oimai, systrephei sou tēn psychēn kai synchei), eni noēson tous epi meizonos axiōmatos" ontas echeinou, kai ton bion sphodra eleeinōs chatastrepsantas. ᾿Anamnēsō de se" Theodōron isōs akoueis ton apo Sikelias " kai gar tōn sphodra episēmōn etynchanen ōn" houtos kai challei kai megethei sōmatos kai parrhēsią tę̄ pros ton basilea pantōn kratōn, kai dynamenos hosa tōn endon strephomenōn oudeis, ouch ēnenche tēn eupragian praōs echeinēn, all᾽ epidouleusas basilei kai halous, autos men apetmēthē sphodra eleeinōs, hē de toutou gynę̄, kai anatrophēs kai genous kai tōn allōn apantōn ouden elatton echousa tēs eugeneias tēs sēs, pantōn aphnō gymnōtheisa tōn autēs kai tēs eleutherias autēs echpetherapainidos oichtroteron zę̄n hēnanchazeto bion, tosouton echousa tōn allōn pleon, hoson dia tēn hyperdolēn tēs symphoras edachryeto para tōn horōntōn hapantōn autēn. Legetai de kai ᾿Artemisia andros sphodra eudochimou genomenē gynē, epeidē chacheinos tyrannidos epethymēsen, houtōs eis tautēn tēn penian elthein kai tēn pērōsin. To te gar megethos tēs athymias, to te plēthos tōn dachryōn esdesen autę̄ tous ophthalmous" kai nyn tōn cheiragōgēsontōn deitai kai pros tas heterōn axontōn thybas, hina tēs anankaias houtōs euporein echę̄ trophēs. Kai Kollas an heteras eichon oichias eipein houtō chaateneechtheithaph, ei mē tēn te euladeian kai tēn dynesin tēs sēs hēpistamēn psychēs, ouch ech tōn allotriōn Chachōn tēs hoicheias symphoras paramythian boulomenēn heurein. Kai toutōn de, hōn emnēsthēn, di᾽ ouden heteron emnēsthēn nyn, dll᾽ hina mathę̄s hoti ta anthrōpina ouden esti pragmata, all᾽ alēthōs, hōs ho prophētēs phēsi, Pasa doxa anthrō" pou hōs anthos chortou. “Hosǭ gar an eparthę̄ kai lampsę̄, tosoutǭ meizona tēn ptōsin ergazetai, ou ta tōn archomenōn monon, alla kai ta tōn basilethontōn autōn. Oude gar an heuroi tis oichian idiōtichēn tosoutōn empeplēsmenēn symphorōn, hosōn ta basileia gemei tōn kachōn. Kai gar orphaniai aōroi, kai chēreiai, kai thanapoi biaioi, kai tōn en tais tragǭdiais paranomōseroi pollǭ kai pichroteroi malista eis tautēn chataschēptousi tēn archēn. Kai hina ta palaia aphōmen, tōn basileusantōn epi tēs geneas tēs hēmeteras, ennea gegenēmenōn hapantōn, dyo monoi koinǭ thanatǭ ton bion chatelysan" tōn de allōn ho men hypo tyrannou, ho de en polemǭ, ho de hypo tōn endon phylattontōn auton epidouleutheis, ho de hyp᾽ autou tou cheirotonēsantos, kai tēn halourgida perithentos autǭ" hai de toutois synoikēsasai gynaiches, hai men, hōs phasi, pharmachois apethanon, hai de hypo tēs athymias autēs. Tōn de eti periousōn hē men paida echousa orphanon tremei kai dedoiche mē tis auton tōn chratountōn phodǭ tōn mellontōn anelę̄" hē de molis pollōn deēthentōn apo tēs hyperorias epanēlthen, eis hēn hautēn ho chratōn exethale proteron. Tōn de tois nyn badileuousi synoichousōn hē men apo tōn proterōn anapneusasa symphorōn anamemigmenēn echei pollēn tę̄ hēdonę̄ tēn odynēn dia to sphodra eti neon einai kai apeiron ton chratounta,, kai pollous pollachothen echein tous epidouleuontas- hē de apotethnēche tǭ deei, kai tōn katadichōn athliōteron zę̄ dia to ton andra autēs, ex hou to diadēma anedēsato mechri tēs sēmeron, en polemois diatridein kai machais, kai tōn symphorōn pleon hypo tēs aischynēs analischesthai kai tois para pantōn oneidesin. Ho gar mēdepote gegone, synethē nyn, kai tēn hautōn aphentes hoi bardaroi chōran ha myrious stadious tēs hēmeperas kai pollakis tosoutous epedramon, kai tas chōras katachausantes, kai tas poleis helontes, ouch ethelousin hypostrephein oichade palin, all᾽ hōsper choreuontes mallon hē polemountes, houtō chatagelōsi tous hēmeterous hapantas" kai tina tōn par᾽ echeinois basileōn phasin eipein hoti tēs anaischyntias echplēttoito tous hēmeterous. stratiōtas, hoi mallon prodatōn prosdyochōsin eti nichąn, kai ouch ethelousin echstēnai tēs heautōn" autos men gar ephasche kai choron eilēphenai pollachis chatachoptōn autous. Poian oun oiei kai ton basilea, kai tēn toutou gynaika tauta achouousan ta rhēmata, echein psychēn?
And since you lament also for the security which you formerly possessed through him, and perhaps also because he held out greater hopes of distinction (for I heard that he was soon to come to the seat of the prefects, which, I think, above all twists your soul and confounds it), consider those who were in higher rank than he and ended their life most pitiably. I will remind you. You have perhaps heard of Theodore of Sicily; for he was one of the very distinguished. This man, surpassing all in beauty and stature of body and in freedom of speech toward the emperor, and able to do what none of those who moved within the palace could, did not bear that prosperity gently, but plotted against the emperor and, being caught, was himself beheaded most pitiably; and his wife, who in upbringing and birth and everything else had nothing less than your nobility, was suddenly stripped of all her possessions, fell from her very freedom, and was forced to live a life more pitiable than a maidservant's, having this much more than others, that because of the excess of her misfortune she was wept over by all who saw her. And it is said that Artemisia too, who was the wife of a very distinguished man, came to such poverty and to blindness, since he too desired tyranny: the greatness of her despondency and the multitude of her tears quenched her eyes; and now she needs people to lead her by the hand to other people's doors, so that she may thus be able to obtain the food she needs. And I could tell of many other houses that were brought down in this way, if I did not know the piety and understanding of your soul, which does not wish to find consolation for its own misfortune in the evils of others. And these that I have mentioned I mentioned now for no other reason than that you may learn that human affairs are nothing, but truly, as the prophet says, “All the glory of man is as the flower of grass.” For the more it is lifted up and shines, the greater the fall it brings about — not only in the affairs of subjects but also in those of the emperors themselves. For one would not find a private house filled with as many misfortunes as the palace is full of evils. For untimely orphanhoods, and widowhoods, and violent deaths, much more lawless and bitter than those in the tragedies, fall above all on this rule. And to leave aside ancient things: of the emperors in our generation, nine in all, only two ended their life by a common death; of the others, one was slain by a usurper, one in war, one by the plotting of those who guarded him within, one by the very man who appointed him and put the purple on him; and of the women who lived with them some, as they say, died by poisons, others of despondency itself. Of those still surviving, one, who has an orphan son, trembles and fears lest one of those in power kill him for fear of the future; another, with difficulty and at the request of many, returned from the exile into which the ruler had formerly driven her. Of those living with the present emperors, one, though she has breathed again after her former misfortunes, has much pain mingled with her pleasure, because the ruler is still very young and inexperienced and has many who plot against him from many sides; the other has died of fear and lives more wretchedly than the condemned, because her husband, from the time he put on the diadem until today, has spent his time in wars and battles, and is consumed more by shame and by the reproaches of all than by the misfortunes themselves. For what never happened before has happened now: the barbarians, leaving their own land, have overrun countless stades of ours, and many times as many, and having burned the countryside and taken the cities, they do not wish to return home again, but as though dancing rather than fighting they mock all our people; and they say that one of their kings said that he was astonished at the shamelessness of our soldiers, who, though [slaughtered] more easily than sheep, still expect to conquer and are unwilling to leave their own land; for he said that he himself had often had his fill of cutting them down. What feelings, then, do you think the emperor and his wife have, hearing these words?
Isa 40:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 1:24 (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom reminds the widow of the ruin of other great families and of the violent deaths of most recent emperors and the sorrows of their wives, to show that worldly rank is no security.
- Letter to a Young Widow, staging ref 4. Translated from the Greek, then compared with NPNF¹ 9. Theodore was executed under Valens for conspiracy (ca. 371–372); the emperors and empresses alluded to are those of the mid- and later fourth century, and the barbarian invasion is the Gothic war before Adrianople (378); Chrysostom does not name them. A participle lost in the OCR is supplied by sense (“[slaughtered]”). Leaked apparatus and a column number are removed by logged corrections. Quotation: Isa 40:6 (1 Pet 1:24).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne column number in the text; apparatus leaked into the text): “ δίς. (υἷδ.; Μοτδὶ, ἀφθαρσίαν, ϑλν}}. ἀγθαῤδίαν καὶ ἀθανασίαν. → ; [544] → .
Topics: Rulers and the state
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Vid. iun. 4 (PG 48:605; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/4
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem-4) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 48, archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 9 ('Letter to a Young Widow').
Chapter 5
5PG 48:605
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐμνήσθην τοῦ πολέμου τούτου, ἑσμός μοι ππολὺς χηρῶν ἐπέδραμεν, αἵ πάλαι “ μὲν σφόδρα ἔλαμπὸν ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἀνδρῶν τιμῆς, νῦν δὲ ἀθρόως ἅπασαι πενθήρη καὶ μέλαιναν περιθέμενα: στολὴν θρηνοῦσι τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτο αὐταῖς ὑπῆρξεν, ὅπερ πῇ τιμίᾳ σου κεφαλῇ. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ, ὦ θαυμασία, καὶ κείμενον ἐπὶ τῆς χλίνης εἶδες τὸν χαλὸν ἐχεῖνον, καὶ ἐσχάτης ἤχουσας φωνῆς, καὶ τίνα χρὴ πρᾶξαι ὑπὲρ τῶν πραγμάτων τῆς οἰκίας ἔμαθες ἐπισχήπτοντος, καὶ διὰ πῶν διαθηχῶν ἅπασαν τοῖς πλεονέχταις καὶ συχοφάνταις ᾿ ἀποτειχίξοντος ἔφοδον. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ νεχρῷ ἕτι χειμένῳ πολλάχις ἐπέπεσες, καὶ χατεφίλησας ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ περιεχύθης, καὶ ἐκώχυσας, καὶ προπεμφθέντα εἶδες μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς τιμῆς , καὶ τὰ πρὸς κὴν ταφὴν πάντα ἔπραξας, ὡς προσῆχον ἦν, καὶ πρὸς κὸν τάφον πολλάχις ἐρχομένη τὸν ἐχείνου παραμυθίαν ἔχεις τῆς ὀδύνης οὐ μιχράν. Αὗται δὲ τούτων ἁπάντων ἐστέρηνται, ἐχπέμψασαι μὲν εἰς πόλεμον ἅπασαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἄνδρας, ὡς πάλιν αὑτοὺς ἀποληψόμεναι, ἀντὶ δὲ ἐχείνων τὴν πιχρὰν τῆς τελευτῆς αὐτῶν ἀγγελίαν στρέφονται δεξάμεναι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὰ σώματά τις αὐτῶν χομίζων ἐπανῆλθεν αὐταῖς, ἀλλὰ ῥήματα μόνον τὸν τρόπον διηγούμενα τῆς τελευτῆς. Εἰσὶ δὲ αἵ οὐδὲ ταύτης ἠξιώθησαν τῆς διηγήσεως, οὐδὲ ὅπως χατέπεσον μαθεῖν ἣδυνήθησαν, ἐν πολλῷ τῷ πλήθει τῆς συμθολῇς Καὶ τί θαυμαστὸν, εἰ τῶν στρατηγῶν οὕτως ἀπέθανον οἱ πολλοὶ, ὅπου γε καὶ αὑτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς χώμην τινὰ ἀπολειφθεὶς μετ᾽ ὀλίγων στρατιωτῶν ἐξελθεῖν μὲν καὶ ἀντιστῆναι τοῖς ἐπελθοῦσιν οὐχ ἐτόλμησε, μένων δὲ ἔνδον πῦρ ἐξαψάντων ἐχείνων συγχατεφλέχθη τοῖς ἔνδον ἅπασιν οὐχ ἀνδράσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἵπποις καὶ δοχοῖς καὶ τοίχοις, καὶ πάντα μία ἃ γέγονε χόνις; Καὶ ταύτην οἱ μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπελθόντες εἰς πόλεμον ἀντὶ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπανῆλθον τῇ γυναικὶ φέροντες τὴν φωνήν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ, οὐδὲν τῶν ἐν τῇ σχηνῇ γιγομένων καὶ τῆς τῶν ἑαρινῶν ἀνθέων ὁ ὥρας τὰ τοῦ χόσμου λαμπρὰ διενήνοχε. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ πρὶν ἢ φαγῆναι ἀφίπταται" ἔπειτα δὲ, χἂν μιχρὸν ἀναμεῖναι ἀνάσχηται χρόνον, εὐθέως εὔφθαρτα γίνεται. Τί γὰρ τῆς παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν τιμῆς καὶ δόξης οὐδαμινέστερον; τίνα ἔχει τὸν καρπὸν, ποίαν τὴν ὄνησιν; εἰς ποῖον τέλος χρήσιμον ἀπαντᾷ; Καὶ εἴ)ε τοῦτο μόνον ἣν τὸ δεινόν" νυνὶ δὲ, πρὸς τῷ μηδὲν ἔχειν ἀπὸ τοῦ κερδαίνειν καλὸν, πολλὰ λυπηρὰ καὶ ἐπιθλαδῇ φέρειν ἀναγχάζεται συνεχῶς ὁ τὴν χαλεπωτάτην ταύτην δέσποιναν ἔχων. Δέσποινα γάρ ἐστι τῶν ἐχόντων αὐτὴν, καὶ ὅσῳπερ ἂν χολαχεύγται παρὰ τῶν δούλων, τοσούτῳ πλέον αἴρεται χατ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ σχληροτέροις αὐτοὺς κατατείνει τοῖς ἐπιτάγμασε" τοὺς δὲ διαπτύοντας αὐτὴν καὶ παρορῶντας οὐδὲ αὐτὴ λοιπὸν ἀμύνασθαι δύναιτ᾽ ἄν' οὕτω καὶ τυράννου καὶ θηρίου παντός ἐστι χαλεπωτέρα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τύραννος καὶ τὰ θηρία τιθασσεύονται διὰ θωπείας πολλάκις Γ, αὔτη, δὲ τότε μάλιστα ἀγριαίνει, ὅταν αὐτῇ μάλιστα πειθώμεθα, κἂν εὕρῃ τὸν ἀκουσόμενον καὶ εἰς πάντα εἴξοντα, οὐδέν ἔστιν ὃ παραιτεῖται ἐπιτάξαι λοιπόν. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ σύμμαχον ἑτέραν, ἣν οὐχ ἄν τις ἁμάρτοι θυγατέρα αὑτῆς προσευπών. Ὅταν γὰρ καὶ αὕτη τραφεῖσα καὶ αὐξηθεῖσα χαλῶς ῥιζωθῇ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν, τότε τίχτει τὴν ἀπόνοιαν, πρᾶγμα οὐχ ἧττον αὐτῆς δυνάμενον καταχρημνίσαι τὴν τῶν ἐχόντῶν ψυχήν.
Epeidē de emnēsthēn tou polemou toutou, hesmos moi ppolys chērōn epedramen, hai palai “ men sphodra elampon apo tēs tōn andrōn timēs, nyn de athroōs hapasai penthērē kai melainan perithemena: stolēn thrēnousi ton hapanta chronon. Oude gar touto autais hypērxen, hoper pę̄ timią sou kephalę̄. Sy men gar, ō thaumasia, kai keimenon epi tēs chlinēs eides ton chalon echeinon, kai eschatēs ēchousas phōnēs, kai tina chrē praxai hyper tōn pragmatōn tēs oikias emathes epischēptontos, kai dia pōn diathēchōn hapasan tois pleonechtais kai sychophantais ᾿ apoteichixontos ephodon. Kai ou touto monon, alla kai nechrǭ heti cheimenǭ pollachis epepeses, kai chatephilēsas ophthalmous, kai periechythēs, kai ekōchysas, kai propemphthenta eides meta pollēs tēs timēs , kai ta pros kēn taphēn panta epraxas, hōs prosēchon ēn, kai pros kon taphon pollachis erchomenē ton echeinou paramythian echeis tēs odynēs ou michran. Hautai de toutōn hapantōn esterēntai, echpempsasai men eis polemon hapasai tous heautōn andras, hōs palin hautous apolēpsomenai, anti de echeinōn tēn pichran tēs teleutēs autōn angelian strephontai dexamenai. Oude gar ta sōmata tis autōn chomizōn epanēlthen autais, alla rhēmata monon ton tropon diēgoumena tēs teleutēs. Eisi de hai oude tautēs ēxiōthēsan tēs diēgēseōs, oude hopōs chatepeson mathein hēdynēthēsan, en pollǭ tǭ plēthei tēs symtholę̄s Kai ti thaumaston, ei tōn stratēgōn houtōs apethanon hoi polloi, hopou ge kai hautos ho basileus eis chōmēn tina apoleiphtheis met᾽ oligōn stratiōtōn exelthein men kai antistēnai tois epelthousin ouch etolmēse, menōn de endon pyr exapsantōn echeinōn synchatephlechthē tois endon hapasin ouch andrasi monon, alla kai hippois kai dochois kai toichois, kai panta mia ha gegone chonis? Kai tautēn hoi meta tou basileōs apelthontes eis polemon anti tou basileōs epanēlthon tę̄ gynaiki pherontes tēn phōnēn. Ouden gar, ouden tōn en tę̄ schēnę̄ gigomenōn kai tēs tōn hearinōn antheōn ho hōras ta tou chosmou lampra dienēnoche. Prōton men gar prin ē phagēnai aphiptatai" epeita de, chan michron anameinai anaschētai chronon, eutheōs euphtharta ginetai. Ti gar tēs para tōn pollōn timēs kai doxēs oudaminesteron? tina echei ton karpon, poian tēn onēsin? eis poion telos chrēsimon apantą? Kai ei)e touto monon hēn to deinon" nyni de, pros tǭ mēden echein apo tou kerdainein kalon, polla lypēra kai epithladę̄ pherein ananchazetai synechōs ho tēn chalepōtatēn tautēn despoinan echōn. Despoina gar esti tōn echontōn autēn, kai hosǭper an cholacheugtai para tōn doulōn, tosoutǭ pleon airetai chat᾽ autōn kai schlēroterois autous katateinei tois epitagmase" tous de diaptyontas autēn kai parorōntas oude autē loipon amynasthai dynait᾽ an' houtō kai tyrannou kai thēriou pantos esti chalepōtera. Ho men gar tyrannos kai ta thēria tithasseuontai dia thōpeias pollakis G, autē, de tote malista agriainei, hotan autę̄ malista peithōmetha, kan heurę̄ ton akousomenon kai eis panta eixonta, ouden estin ho paraiteitai epitaxai loipon. Echei de kai symmachon heteran, hēn ouch an tis hamartoi thygatera hautēs proseupōn. Hotan gar kai hautē trapheisa kai auxētheisa chalōs rhizōthę̄ par᾽ hēmin, tote tichtei tēn aponoian, pragma ouch hētton autēs dynamenon katachrēmnisai tēn tōn echontōn psychēn.
And since I have mentioned this war, a great swarm of widows has come to my mind, who formerly shone greatly from the honour of their husbands, but now, all at once, having put on mourning and black robes, lament all the time. For not even this was granted them, which was granted to your honoured person. For you, admirable woman, saw that good man lying on his bed, and heard his last words, and learned from his instructions what had to be done about the affairs of the house, as he walled off by his will every approach of the greedy and the informers. And not only this, but you often fell upon him while he still lay dead, and kissed his eyes, and embraced him, and wailed, and saw him escorted out with much honour, and did everything for his burial as was fitting; and going often to his tomb, you have no small consolation for your pain. But these women are deprived of all these things, having all sent out their husbands to war expecting to receive them back, and instead of them they have received, and turn over in their minds, the bitter news of their death. For no one came back to them bringing their bodies, but only words recounting the manner of their death. And there are some who were not even granted this account, nor could learn how their husbands fell, in the great multitude of the engagement. And what wonder if most of the generals died so, when even the emperor himself, left behind in a village with a few soldiers, did not dare to go out and withstand the attackers, but staying within, when they lit a fire, was burned together with all who were inside, not only men but horses and beams and walls, and all became one dust? And this was the word that those who went with the emperor to war brought back to his wife instead of the emperor. For the splendours of the world differ in nothing, nothing, from what happens on the stage and from the season of spring flowers. For first, they fly away before they appear; then, even if they hold out for a little time, they at once become perishable. For what is more worthless than the honour and glory that come from the many? What fruit does it have, what profit? To what useful end does it lead? And would that this alone were the terrible thing! But as it is, besides having nothing good from what he gains, the one who has this most harsh mistress is forced continually to bear many painful and harmful things. For she is the mistress of those who have her, and the more she is flattered by her slaves, the more she rises against them and racks them with harsher commands; but those who spit on her and disregard her she cannot avenge herself on; so she is harsher than a tyrant and than every wild beast. For the tyrant and the beasts are often tamed by flattery; but she grows most savage when we obey her most, and if she finds one who will listen and yield in everything, there is nothing she declines to command. And she has another ally too, whom one would not be wrong to call her daughter. For when this vanity, nourished and grown, has rooted well in us, then it gives birth to arrogance, a thing no less able than vanity to hurl down the souls of those who have it.
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom contrasts the widow's comfort at her husband's deathbed and tomb with the widows of the soldiers and the emperor lost in the war, and turns to the emptiness and tyranny of the glory that comes from the many.
- Letter to a Young Widow, staging ref 5. Translated from the Greek, then compared with NPNF¹ 9. The emperor burned in a village is Valens after the battle of Adrianople (378); Chrysostom does not name him. The sentence on the stage and the spring flowers is damaged in the OCR and is translated by sense. Leaked apparatus and a column number are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne column number in the text; apparatus leaked into the text): [545] → ; δ 81. (010. οἱ ϑανῇ}. [πῃ Νγο]. χώραν ἀθεθί. Β 815 (0Ἱ0. οἱ ϑανὶ!. Αἱ Μογο!. φησίν. Ἶ ὅΥ]}. αἱ πολλαί, εἰ ν Οὐ → .
Topics: Humility and pride
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Vid. iun. 5 (PG 48:605; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 48, archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 9 ('Letter to a Young Widow').
Chapter 6
6PG 48:605
Ταῦτα οὖν θρηνεῖς, εἰπέ μοι, ὅτι σε ὁ Θεὸς τῆς οὕτω χαλεπωτάτης δουλείας ἀπήλλαξεν, ὅτι ταῖς λοιμιχαῖς ταύταις νόσοις πᾶσαν ἀπετείχισεν ἔφοδον; Ζῶντος μὲν γάρ σοι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς οὕπω ἐπαύσαντο συνεχῶς ἐπιπηδῶσαι δ τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς λογισμοῖς, τελευτήσαντος δὲ οὐκ ἔχουσι πόθεν ἐπιλάδωνται τῆς διανοίας τῆς σῆς. Τοῦτο οὖν δεῖ χατορθωθῆναι λοιπὸν, τὸ μὴ θρηνεῖν αὖτῶν τὴν ἀναχώρησιν, μηδὲ τὴν δεσποτείαν ἐπιζητεῖν τὴν πιχράν. Ὅπου γὰρ ἂν αὗται πνεύσωσι σφοδρὸν, πάντα ἐχ βάθρων ἀνέτρεψαν καὶ χατέσπασαν’ καὶ καθάπερ πολλαὶ τῶν -φπορνευομένων γυναιχῶν, δυσειδεῖς οὖσαι χατὰ φύσιν καὶ εἰδεχθεῖς, τοῖς ἐπιτρίμμασι καὶ ταῖς ὑπογραφαῖς ἁπαλὰς οὔσας ἔτι τὰς τῶν νέων ἀναπτε ᾿ ροῦσι ψυχὰς, καὶ ἐπειδὰν ὑπὸ τὴν ἀρχὴν λάδωσι τὴν 'δαυτῶν, παντὸς ἀνδραπόδου τούτοις ὑδριστιχώτερον χέχρηνται" οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα τὰ πάθη, ἣ τε χενοδοξία καὶ ἢ ἀπόνοια, καντὸς ἄγους μᾶλλον. τὰς τῶν. ἀνθρώπων. μο- Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ "πλοῦτος τοῖς πολλοῖς ἔδοξεν εἶναι καλόν" ταύτης γοῦν γυμνωθεὶς οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἔσται λοιπὸν ἐπέραστος. Οἷς γοῦν ἐξῆν διὰ πενίας ἐπιτυχεῖν τῆς δόξης τῆς παρὰ νῶν πολλῶν, οὐχ ἔτι εἴλοντο τούτους οὐ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ δεήσῃ. μαθεῖν, ἀλλ᾽. ἀχριδέστερον ἡμῶν οἶδας αὑτὴ τὸν Ἐπαμεινώνδαν, τὸν. Σωκράτην, τὸν ᾿Αριστείδην, τὸν. Διογένην, τὸν. Κράτητα, τὸν μηλόδοτον ἀνέντα τὴν χώραν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ..Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι παρ᾽ ὧν πλουτῆσαι οὐχ ἦν, διὰ τῆς πενίας ἀἶδον τὴν.δόξαν παραγενομένην αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦτο. ἦλθον εὐθέως" ᾿ οὗτος δὲ καὶ ἅπερ εἶχεν ἔῤῥιψεν’ οὕτως ἅπαντες ἦσαν ͵ ἐμμανεῖς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ χαλεποῦ. τούτου χτῇσιν θηρίου. ᾿Μὴ δὴ δαχρύωμεν ὅτι ἡμᾶς ὁ- θεὸς ταύτης τῆς τυραννίδος ἀπήλλαξε τῆς αἰσχρᾶς καὶ καταγελάστου καὶ πολλὰ ἐχούσης ὀνείδη" ὄνομα γὰρ ἔχει μόνον λαμπρὸν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις τἀναντία τῇ προσηγορίᾳ τοὺς ἔχοντας αὑτὴν διατίθησι, καὶ οὐχ ἔστιν οὐδεὶς ὁ μὴ χαταγελῶν «τοῦ πρὸς δόξαν τι πράττοντος. Μόνος γὰρ ἐχεῖνος περίδλεπτος καὶ ἐπίδοξος γενέσθαι. δυνήσεται ὁ μὴ πρὸς τοῦτο ὁρῶν' δδὲ. μεγάλην δόξαν τιθέμενος τὴν παρὰ τῶν. πολλῶν, καὶ πάντα ὑπὲρ τοῦ ταύτης τυχεῖν ὑπομένων καὶ ποιῶν, οὗὖτος μάλιστα αὐτῆς ἀποτεύξεται καὶ ἀποπεσεῖτα!, καὶ "πὧν ἐναντίων ἀπολαύσεται πάντων, γέλωτος καὶ χατ' ηγορίας, σχωμμάτων, ἀπεχθείας.καὶ μίσους... Οὐχ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν δὲ μόνον τοῦτο συμόαίνειν εἴωθεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ ὑμῶν τῶν «γυναιχῶν, καὶ μάλιστά γε ἐφ᾽ ὑμῶν. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἄπλαστον καὶ ἐν σχήματι, καὶ ἐν βαδίσει, καὶ ἐν ἐματίοις, καὶ παρὰ μηδενὸς ἐπιζητοῦσαν. μάζξουσιν ἅπασαι καὶ ἐχπλήττονται καὶ μαχαρίζουσι καὶ πάντα αὑτῇ συνεύχονται τὰ καλά" τὴν δὲ χενόδοξον ἀποστρέφονται καὶ μισοῦσι, καὶ ὥσπερ τι θηρίον ἄγριον - φεύγουσι, καὶ μυρίαις. ἀραῖς. τε «καὶ λοιδορέαις σιν. Οὐ ταῦτα δὲ μόνον ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ προσίεσθαι τὴν παρὰ χῶν πολλῶν δόξαν. διχφεύγομεν τὰ καχὰ, ἀλλὰ, καὶ τὰ. μέγιστα πάντων κερδανοῦμεν πρὸς τοῖς εἰρημένοις, -παι- δενόμενοι χατὰ μιχρὸὴν ἀνιέναι. καὶ μεταστῆναι πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ. πάντων. καταφρονεῖν τῶν ἐπὶ «ἧς γῆς. Ὁ γὰρ μὴ δεόμενος τῆς παρὰ. τῶν. ἀνθρώπων «ιμῆς, ἅπερ ἂν πράττοι καλὰ, ταῦτα μετὰ ἀσφαλείας ἅπαντα “πράξει, καὶ οὔτε ἐπὶ τῶν λυπηρῶν, οὔτε ἐπὶ τῶν χρηστῶν τοῦ βίου τούτου πείσεταί τι δεινόν. Οὔτε γὰρ ταῦτα αὐτὸν χαταπτῆξαι Ὁ καὶ χαθελεῖν, οὔτε ἐχεῖνα ἐξογχῶσαι καὶ φυσῆσαι δύναται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πράγμασιν εὑμεταπτώτοις καὶ τεταραγμένοις αὐτὸς μένει πάσης ἐχτὸς ὧν μεταδολῆς" ὅπερ ταχέως καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς σῆς ἔσεσθαι “ππροσδοχῶ ψυχῆς, καὶ ἀθρόως. ἁπάντων ἀποσπασθεῖσαν.. ον βιωτιχῶν, - τὴν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς: ἡμῖν :ἐαιδείξεσθαι πολιτείαν,. καὶ “ὖς δόξης. ἧς θρηνεῖς ὁ. νῦν, μικρὸν "ἐνθάδε ὕστερον χαταγελάσεσθαι,. καὶ τὸ διάχενον καὶ μάταιον κατοπτεύσειν προσωπεῖον αὐτῆς. Εἰ δὲ ἀσφάλειαν πρθεῖς τὴν δι᾽ ἐχεῖνόν σοι γεγενημένην, καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτῶν φυλαχὴν, καὶ τὸ παρὰ μηδενὸς ἐπιδουλεύεσθαι τῶν ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις. ἐπιπηδώντων συμφοραῖς, ᾿Επίῤῥιψον ἐπὶ Κύριον τὴν μέριμνάν σου, καὶ αὐτός σε διαθρέγει. ᾿Εμδλέψατε γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς ἀρκαίας γεγεὰς, καὶ ἴδετε τίς ἤλπισεν ἐπὶ Κύριον ἃ, καὶ. κατῃσχύνθη, ἢ τίς ἐπεκαλέσατο αὑτὸν, καὶ ὑπερεῖδεν αὐτὸν, ἣ τίς ἐνέμεινε ταῖς ἐντολαῖς. αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγκατέλιπεν αὐτόν. -Ὁ γὰρ τὴν συμφορὰν τὴν οὕτως ἀφόρητον παρκνεγχὼν, καὶ ποιήσας εἶναι. ἐν γαλήνῃ νῦν, οὗτος καὶ τὰ. ἐπερχόμενα ἀποκχρούσεται" ὅτι γὰρ ταύτης τῆς πληγῆς. οὐδεμίαν ἑτέραν χαλεπωτέραν λήψῃ λοιπὸν, καὶ αὐτὴ εσυνομολογήσαις ἡμῖν. Ἢ τοίνυν οὕτω γενγᾳίως πὰ ἐν χερσὶ, καὶ ταῦτα ἄπειρος οὗφα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ - ὀπερχόμενα, εἴποτε, ὃ μὴ γένοιτο, συμδῇ. τι. τῶν ἀόρυ-. λήτων ἡμῖν, οἴσεις εὐχόλως. Οὐχαῦν τὸν οὐρανὸν ζήτει 9, καὶ πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὴν ἐχεῖ φέροντα ζωὴν, καὶ οὐδὲν. πῶν ἐνταῦθα βλάψαι δυνήσεταί σε, οὐδὲ ὁ τοῦ σχάτους Χχοσμοχράτωρ. αὐτὸς, μόνον μὴ ἑαυτοὺς καταθλάψωμεν. ἡμεῖς. Κἂν γὰρ τὴν οὐσίαν τις ἀφέληται, χἂν χατατέμῃ τὸ σῶμα, τούτων οὐδὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὑγιοῦς μενούσης ἡμῖν τῆς ψυχῆς.
Tauta oun thrēneis, eipe moi, hoti se ho Theos tēs houtō chalepōtatēs douleias apēllaxen, hoti tais loimichais tautais nosois pasan apeteichisen ephodon? Zōntos men gar soi tou andros houpō epausanto synechōs epipēdōsai d tois tēs psychēs logismois, teleutēsantos de ouk echousi pothen epiladōntai tēs dianoias tēs sēs. Touto oun dei chatorthōthēnai loipon, to mē thrēnein autōn tēn anachōrēsin, mēde tēn despoteian epizētein tēn pichran. Hopou gar an hautai pneusōsi sphodron, panta ech bathrōn anetrepsan kai chatespasan’ kai kathaper pollai tōn -phporneuomenōn gynaichōn, dyseideis ousai chata physin kai eidechtheis, tois epitrimmasi kai tais hypographais hapalas ousas eti tas tōn neōn anapte ᾿ rousi psychas, kai epeidan hypo tēn archēn ladōsi tēn 'dautōn, pantos andrapodou toutois hydristichōteron chechrēntai" houtō kai tauta ta pathē, hē te chenodoxia kai ē aponoia, kantos agous mallon. tas tōn. anthrōpōn. mo- Dia touto kai ho "ploutos tois pollois edoxen einai kalon" tautēs goun gymnōtheis oude autos estai loipon eperastos. Hois goun exēn dia penias epitychein tēs doxēs tēs para nōn pollōn, ouch eti eilonto toutous ou par᾽ emou deēsę̄. mathein, all᾽. achridesteron hēmōn oidas hautē ton Epameinōndan, ton. Sōkratēn, ton ᾿Aristeidēn, ton. Diogenēn, ton. Kratēta, ton mēlodoton anenta tēn chōran tēn heautou..Hoi men gar alloi par᾽ hōn ploutēsai ouch ēn, dia tēs penias aidon tēn.doxan paragenomenēn autois, kai epi touto. ēlthon eutheōs" ᾿ houtos de kai haper eichen errhipsen’ houtōs hapantes ēsan ͵ emmaneis pros tēn tou chalepou. toutou chtę̄sin thēriou. ᾿Mē dē dachryōmen hoti hēmas ho- theos tautēs tēs tyrannidos apēllaxe tēs aischras kai katagelastou kai polla echousēs oneidē" onoma gar echei monon lampron, en de tois ergois tanantia tę̄ prosēgorią tous echontas hautēn diatithēsi, kai ouch estin oudeis ho mē chatagelōn «tou pros doxan ti prattontos. Monos gar echeinos peridleptos kai epidoxos genesthai. dynēsetai ho mē pros touto horōn' dde. megalēn doxan tithemenos tēn para tōn. pollōn, kai panta hyper tou tautēs tychein hypomenōn kai poiōn, houytos malista autēs apoteuxetai kai apopeseita!, kai "pōn enantiōn apolausetai pantōn, gelōtos kai chat' ēgorias, schōmmatōn, apechtheias.kai misous... Ouch epi tōn andrōn de monon touto symoainein eiōthen, alla kai epi hymōn tōn «gynaichōn, kai malista ge eph᾽ hymōn. Tēn men gar aplaston kai en schēmati, kai en badisei, kai en ematiois, kai para mēdenos epizētousan. mazxousin hapasai kai echplēttontai kai macharizousi kai panta hautę̄ syneuchontai ta kala" tēn de chenodoxon apostrephontai kai misousi, kai hōsper ti thērion agrion - pheugousi, kai myriais. arais. te «kai loidoreais sin. Ou tauta de monon apo tou mē prosiesthai tēn para chōn pollōn doxan. dichpheugomen ta kacha, alla, kai ta. megista pantōn kerdanoumen pros tois eirēmenois, -pai- denomenoi chata michroēn anienai. kai metastēnai pros ton ouranon, kai. pantōn. kataphronein tōn epi «hēs gēs. Ho gar mē deomenos tēs para. tōn. anthrōpōn «imēs, haper an prattoi kala, tauta meta asphaleias hapanta “praxei, kai oute epi tōn lypērōn, oute epi tōn chrēstōn tou biou toutou peisetai ti deinon. Oute gar tauta auton chataptēxai Ho kai chathelein, oute echeina exonchōsai kai physēsai dynatai, all᾽ en pragmasin heumetaptōtois kai tetaragmenois autos menei pasēs echtos hōn metadolēs" hoper tacheōs kai epi tēs sēs esesthai “pprosdochō psychēs, kai athroōs. hapantōn apospastheisan.. on biōtichōn, - tēn en tois ouranois: hēmin :eaideixesthai politeian,. kai “ys doxēs. hēs thrēneis ho. nyn, mikron "enthade hysteron chatagelasesthai,. kai to diachenon kai mataion katopteusein prosōpeion autēs. Ei de asphaleian prtheis tēn di᾽ echeinon soi gegenēmenēn, kai tēn tōn pragmatōn phylachēn, kai to para mēdenos epidouleuesthai tōn tais allotriais. epipēdōntōn symphorais, ᾿Epirrhipson epi Kyrion tēn merimnan sou, kai autos se diathregei. ᾿Emdlepsate gar, phēsin, eis arkaias gegeas, kai idete tis ēlpisen epi Kyrion ha, kai. katę̄schynthē, ē tis epekalesato hauton, kai hypereiden auton, hē tis enemeine tais entolais. autou, kai enkatelipen auton. -Ho gar tēn symphoran tēn houtōs aphorēton parknenchōn, kai poiēsas einai. en galēnę̄ nyn, houtos kai ta. eperchomena apokchrousetai" hoti gar tautēs tēs plēgēs. oudemian heteran chalepōteran lēpsę̄ loipon, kai autē esynomologēsais hēmin. Ē toinyn houtō gengąiōs pa en chersi, kai tauta apeiros houpha, pollǭ mallon ta - operchomena, eipote, ho mē genoito, symdę̄. ti. tōn aory-. lētōn hēmin, oiseis eucholōs. Ouchaun ton ouranon zētei 9, kai panta ta pros tēn echei pheronta zōēn, kai ouden. pōn entautha blapsai dynēsetai se, oude ho tou schatous Chchosmochratōr. autos, monon mē heautous katathlapsōmen. hēmeis. Kan gar tēn ousian tis aphelētai, chan chatatemę̄ to sōma, toutōn ouden pros hēmas, hygious menousēs hēmin tēs psychēs.
Do you lament this, tell me, that God has freed you from so harsh a slavery, that he has walled off every approach of these pestilential diseases? For while your husband was alive they never ceased leaping continually upon the thoughts of your soul; but now that he has died they have nowhere to take hold of your mind. This, then, must be achieved from now on: not to lament their withdrawal, nor to seek their bitter mastery. For wherever these blow strongly, they have overturned and pulled down everything from the foundations; and as many of the women who prostitute themselves, ugly and hideous by nature, inflame the still tender souls of the young by paints and eye-shadow, and when they get them under their power treat them more insolently than any slave, so these passions too, vanity and arrogance, [defile] the souls of men more than any pollution. For this reason wealth too seemed good to the many; stripped of this glory, it too will no longer be lovely. Those, at any rate, who could obtain glory from the many through poverty no longer chose [wealth] … You will not need to learn from me, but you yourself know better than we: Epaminondas, Socrates, Aristides, Diogenes, Crates, who let his land go to pasture for sheep. For the others, who had no means of growing rich, saw that glory came to them through poverty, and came to this at once; but he even threw away what he had: so mad were all of them for the possession of this harsh beast. Let us not weep, then, that God has freed us from this tyranny, shameful and ridiculous and full of reproaches; for it has only a brilliant name, but in deeds it brings those who have it to the opposite of its name, and there is no one who does not laugh at the man who does something for glory. For only he will be able to become admired and glorious who does not look to this; but he who sets great store by the glory that comes from the many, and endures and does everything to obtain it, will above all miss it and fall from it, and will reap all the opposites: laughter and accusation, mockery, enmity and hatred. And this does not happen only with men, but also with you women, and above all with you. For the woman who is unaffected in bearing and gait and dress, and seeks admiration from no one, all women admire and are astonished at and call blessed and pray for every good thing for her; but the vain woman they turn from and hate, and flee like a wild beast, and [pelt] with countless curses and reproaches. And not only these evils do we escape by not accepting the glory that comes from the many, but we shall also gain the greatest of all goods besides those mentioned, being trained little by little to rise and move to heaven and to despise all earthly things. For the one who does not need honour from men will do with all security whatever good he does, and will suffer nothing terrible either in the painful or in the pleasant things of this life. For neither can the former cow and cast him down, nor the latter swell and puff him up, but amid changeable and troubled affairs he remains himself outside all change. This I expect soon to happen to your soul too, and that, torn away all at once from all worldly things, it will show us the citizenship that is in heaven, and will before long laugh at the glory you now lament, and will see through its empty and vain mask. And if you seek the security you had through him, and the guarding of your affairs, and not being plotted against by any of those who leap upon the misfortunes of others, “cast your care on the Lord, and he will sustain you.” For “look,” it says, “at the ancient generations, and see: who hoped in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who called on him and he overlooked him? Or who remained in his commandments and he forsook him?” For he who has carried you through so unbearable a misfortune and has made you now be in calm will also beat off what is to come; for that you will never receive another blow harsher than this, you yourself would agree with us. You, then, who bore what was at hand so nobly, and that without experience, will much more easily bear what is to come, if ever — may it not happen — something we do not wish should befall us. Seek heaven, then, and everything that leads to the life there, and nothing here will be able to harm you, not even the world-ruler of darkness himself, provided only that we do not harm ourselves. For even if someone takes away our property, even if he cuts the body to pieces, none of these things concerns us, so long as the soul remains sound.
Ps 55:22 (54:23 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 3:20 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom tells the widow that God has freed her from the slavery of vainglory, and that she should cast her care on the Lord, who will protect her affairs and her soul.
- Letter to a Young Widow, staging ref 6. Translated from the Greek, then compared with NPNF¹ 9. Words lost in the OCR are supplied in brackets by sense (“[defile]”, “[pelt]”); a sentence after “through poverty” is damaged and marked “…”. Crates the Cynic is said to have let his land become sheep-pasture. A fragment of a line displaced by the OCR into this ref (it belongs in ref 7), Migne's Latin version, apparatus and column numbers are removed by logged corrections. Quotations: Ps 55:22 (54:23 LXX); Sir 2:10; allusion: Eph 6:12; Phil 3:20.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne column number in the text; Migne's Latin version and apparatus leaked into the Greek column; καθάπερ rejoined; a line of ref 7 displaced here by the OCR (restored in ref 7); εὐμεταπτώτοις rejoined; apparatus leaked into the text; note number and Migne column number in the text): [540] → ; ἃ 916 ϑδυ]!. οἱ (ΟἹ Ὁ. ορι πηθ, ἰπ Μογοὶ. μία ἀδαεῖ. Γ. οἱ 54ν}}. διὰ θεραπείας πολλάχις, ΜοτοΙ. διὰ θωπείας πολλάχις. ἥ αἱ δεοογθίογοβ ἰῃ πος ἙἌσγυμη νογο, ας δά μας Βα ροΓϑί [68 βιηῖ, Δ] 6 γὰ αὐ Ουο ἰφίίυγ δπίπιο οἱ Πρ ρθγδίογαπιὶ οἱ ᾿ρϑίυβ οὐἶτη, ὁ δά γα }}}15,6ι ᾿ σης πυπίΐαηι ᾿Ϊ, ἀυΐ θη ὀπὶ [πηρεγϑίογο δὰ "6 ]!Π τὴ ἀείπάα, οιΐδπι δὲ ρϑιιί απ το τῖθι5 Ὁ πα 115 οἱ δϑϑοπίλιϊ ον ἴδγα υἱδη αἰ }5 ρα πη θϑευηΐ; πο 6 Δ 160} {ππῸ μὰ - Ραϑι ἐγ ὶθ μι οτ ἐς Ῥοδιίμας ουτάμά αι ἃς με υδίαμαμι δβῖ, αἱ ἴποαβϑὰ οἱ νβϑίϊα δἰ περί υἱάρίε εἰ φωὶς ἐρεταυὶϊξ ἱπ Βοπιΐπο, εἰ οοη[ιδις ἐεἰ,, υεὶ εἶς ἵπ πιαπα αι οἦμα,, εἰ ἀεσγείϊεἰμις εεἰ (Ἐεεϊϊ. ἃ.. δρο] δὶ, οἱ δὶ οὐγρυ9 οοπεϊ δι, πὶ} πογαπι δὰ ποα, «ερ → περ ; τὸν 8 οὐρανὸν, [547] → τὸν οὐρανὸν,; - -:. ἐφει πὴν ψυχὴν καὶ θαρυδεξ. τὸ προαδοχηθὲν,. πολλάχις. αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸιτῶν ὑπάρχων ἥξειν ἀξίωμα, καὶ. προανηρ → ; 8 (01. καὶ πέτεσθαι πρὸς τόν, 54Υ}}. καὶ πέτασθαι πρὸς τόν, Ἄδονε!. καὶ μεταστῆναι τόν. Ὁ 54.}1}. οἵ (018. αὐτὸν βαπτίσαι, Μοτο], αὐτὸν χαταπτῆξαι. δ 96}. οἱ (010. ἣν θρηνεῖς. ἕ → .
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 2:10 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Topics: Humility and pride, Providence
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Vid. iun. 6 (PG 48:605; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-ad-viduam-iuniorem/6
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 48, archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with NPNF¹ 9 ('Letter to a Young Widow').